The Return
by Richan MMI
Summary: Beryl's back and the Senshi are joined with some new allies. Which is good, because someone has given Beryl the power of a god. Het and yuri pairings.
1. Chapter 1: Disappearance

The Return

Chapter 1: Disappearance

By Richan

Warnings: This plays off both the TV series AND the manga (a little). Rated for language and a wee bit of violence.

Disclaimers: Sailor Moon is owned by Takeuchi Naoko, and tons of other people who aren't me.

AN: I wrote this story more than three years ago and decided to finally air it. Please let me know what you think of it.

Yes, there are tons of OCs in this, but this was written before I ever learned what a Mary Sue is.

Other chapters will be put up as soon as I've cleaned them up a bit, but they haven't been betaed, so there might still be some mistakes.

Usagi walked down the street, trying to remember all that she had to get. It was the last day that she would be a single woman. A bright smile washed over her face, startling the other people on the street. All she could think about was how happy it made her when she was with Mamoru. In her mind, she saw him standing as her prince after she helped Galaxia remember that everyone needs some chaos in their lives.

She looked in the windows as she passed the shops. This was the neighborhood where she had grown up. As she passed Naru's mother's jewelry shop, she remembered how she met Mamoru when she hit him in the head with a failed test. To think that she was marrying that handsome man tomorrow. Unbelievable.

*****

Passing a window, she didn't see the woman looking at her. The woman vanished, and returned to the darkness where she must stay. It was painful to project herself into the real world. She needed to find a way to stay there or...Maybe she should bring her enemy into the darkness, and let her experience all that she had these many years.

The woman sat down upon the throne that was all the remained of the kingdom she had once ruled. The wreckage that lay before her was proof that she had fallen, but she was determined to regain her throne, with her prince beside her.

Beryl watched the young woman again. Her enemies had gained a lot of strength since they thought they had defeated her. It was agonizing, watching them enjoy their happy lives, while she had no power here in the darkness. Her Queen was gone, banished by the Moon Princess. Her armies had been vanquished. Her enemy was free and had taken her prince.

It was time to make a plan.

*****

The next day...

"NANI?" Rei screamed. "What do you mean, she's nowhere?!"

"We haven't seen her since last night," Tsukino Ikuko replied. "I figured that I would let her sleep in a little, so I didn't go up until 9. I thought she was just trying to sleep some more when she didn't answer like she always does. When I went in there to make sure she was up, her room was a disaster area."

"Was there any clue to why she wasn't there?" Makoto asked.

"Her wedding dress was missing, but her shoes were still in the closet."

Rei thought that sounded strange. Usagi leaving and only taking her wedding dress? On the day she is supposed to marry her prince?

"I just don't know what to do," Ikuko said. "Shingo went to look for her, and he hasn't come back, either."

"Shingo's missing," Minako asked. "When did he leave to go look for her?"

"Right after we found that she was missing," said Usagi's father, Kenji.

"That's almost three hours ago," Rei said. "I think that we'll go and look for the two of them, ok?" She looked at Mako, Mina, and Ami. All of them nodded, and went outside.

"This is just too strange," Mina said. "Why would she leave on her wedding day?"

"Ami, would you scan the area to see if Usagi is around," Rei asked.

"I'm already on it, Rei."

Luna came running up. "I haven't seen her this morning, minna. I went out early this morning to go talk to Mamoru. When I got back, Usagi was missing, and Ikuko was frantic."

"Why did you go see Mamoru?" Mina asked.

"MINA!" Rei and Mako yelled.

"We need to focus on Usagi missing," Rei said to Mina. "Any sign of her yet, Ami?"

"I haven't been able to find her within ten blocks. However, I have been able to pick up a sign that someone from the Dark Kingdom has been here."

"WHAT?!" Everybody replied.

"My computer is picking up faint traces of our former enemies. I'm going to try to see if it links with Usagi missing this morning," Ami said. She typed some more data into her computer, and was startled when the sonar started beeping. "My computer indicates that she's been taken north, far north of Tokyo."

"As in the North Pole, north?" Rei asked. "If that means what I think it means, we've got trouble."

*****

Mamoru paced back and forth in his apartment. His Usako was missing and he wasn't able to do anything. Looking out the window, he was startled at the scene that met his eyes. Darkness was starting to fall over the city, and it was only two in the afternoon. All of a sudden he got a bad feeling that there was a new enemy. Turning to the door to go find the Senshi, there was a knock on the door.

"We must hurry," Sailor Pluto said as Mamoru opened the door.

Mamoru was taken aback at the statement. "What?"

"There is no time to waste. Come, we must go."

Looking past her, he saw Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Saturn standing awkwardly in the hallway. Realizing that standing there was not useful, he quickly changed into Tuxedo Kamen. "Let's go."

Pluto looked at him. "This will not be easy."

"It never is."

*****

Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus stood on the threshold to the former Dark Kingdom.

"My computer indicates that this is indeed where Usagi was taken," Mercury said. "The trace I put on her has been getting stronger the closer we have gotten."

Jupiter turned towards the others, looking at each of them in turn. As she started to speak, there was a blast of cold wind, much colder than what had been blowing the minute before. A voice spoke through the wind, "I will destroy her."

"You can't!" Jupiter cried. She started running towards the point where she had left Sailor Moon in their battle against Queen Beryl. Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder, and she went to grab it. Turning around to grab her attacker, she let out a gasp, and the others watched in shock as she vanished.

"What took her?" Mars yelled at the others.

"I don't know," Mercury said.

"It looked like she was trying to beat up some invisible man," Venus said. "She looked angry as she turned back at us."

"You must be careful," came a voice from behind them. Turning around, they saw the Outer Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen.

"Pluto!"

"We are here to help," came the reply. Pluto nodded at Tuxedo Kamen. "We must get to the Princess before it is too late."

"Nani?" Everybody else asked at the same time.

"Come."

"Looks like Pluto won't answer us again," Uranus muttered to Neptune. Pluto looked back at her and she tried to look innocent. As Pluto looked forward once more, Neptune softly giggled, and looked at Uranus.

"It's just her way of telling us that we have to be careful."

"Yeah right, more of her way of annoying us."

The Senshi walked forward. Mercury was starting to lag behind as she tried to type on her computer and walk at the same time. She felt someone behind her and as she turned to look she vanished. 

Mars looked back just in time to see her vanish. "Mercury!" she cried. "They got Mercury! NOOOOO!"

The others looked stricken. "Let's hope somebody else doesn't vanish before we get to where we are going," Venus said. "We have to keep going."

The group started forward again. As they did, Venus started to feel goose bumps grow on her arms. As they kept walking they grew. Suddenly she realized where they were going. She turned to tell the others what was going on when she felt cold all over. As the others watched in horror, she opened her mouth to scream and then vanished.

Pluto turned to Mars. "Are you ready for what is to come?"

Mars looked back at her, her face troubled. "If it is what I must do to save my Princess, I am."

Tuxedo Kaman and the rest of the Senshi looked startled and started asking questions, but the two did not answer them.

"We must continue. Come," Pluto said. As she turned to walk forward, she disappeared like the others.

"Pluto!" cried Saturn. "Puuuuu! NOOOOOOO!"

Neptune was in shock. "Pluto! Where..." She turned to look at Uranus and felt the cold running down her spine. "Haruka..."

Uranus turned just in time to see the Neptune was gone also. "MICHIRU!"

Mars started walking forward in a daze. Uranus ran up to her. "We have to find the others before we go any further. We've lost too many people!"

Mars looked at her, and Uranus looked on in shock at her expression. Tears were running down her face. "She's taking us in the order of our deaths."

"WHO!" Uranus demanded.

"Beryl." Tuxedo Kamen stated flatly. He had realized where they were going just before Venus had vanished. The feeling in the air had given him some clues, but he also felt Usagi's essence close by.

******

Mars, Uranus, Saturn and Tuxedo Kamen slowly started walking again, trying to reach the former home of the Dark Kingdom before it was too late. Mars looked over at Tuxedo Kamen, and saw the worry lines that had formed around his mouth. She knew that there would be more around his eyes, even though she couldn't see them behind the mask. Sighing, she turned to look straight ahead. As she did so, she caught something out of the corner of her eye. Stopping, she reached for Tuxedo Kamen's arm to stop him as well. Uranus stopped, wondering what made Mars halt.

Saturn stopped as well, but she was a couple of steps behind the others. As she took a stop to catch up with them, she felt a cold wind whipping around her. The others looked on in horror as her hair blew in a wind none of them felt. As they watched, she faded from sight, with a terrified look on her face. Uranus reached out for her, but Tuxedo Kamen put a hand on her arm. "We can't help her now," he said. Uranus glared at him, angry at him for stopping her, before acknowledging that he was right. 

Mars felt vibrations in the air, coming off to the west. Turning to her right, she saw Usagi hanging in mid-air, with her arms stretched wide. Tuxedo Kamen took a step forward, when Mars stopped him. "Beryl's played this trick before, but it's still not going to work."

Tuxedo Kamen looked at Mars, puzzled. 'Why did she stop me?'

Mars looked back at Usagi before turning back to Tuxedo Kamen. "This was the trick that the D-Girls played on us before the last battle before Beryl. They were sent to eliminate us so that Sailor Moon would have to face her alone."

Tuxedo Kamen looked at Usagi again, this time noticing that her eyes were red. Inhaling sharply, he turned back to their original destination. Uranus walked between them.

"Hey, mind telling me what's going on?" she asked.

Mars told Uranus how they had each been 'picked off' by the henchmen of Queen Beryl. Her voice finally wound down as they got closer. "We're close now. I will see the two of you later."

Tuxedo Kamen and Uranus stopped to look at her when she suddenly ran behind them as if she was being chased by demons. As they turned around, they noticed that she, too, had vanished. Tuxedo Kamen and Uranus looked at each other, knowing that it would be up to them to save the others.

******

Meanwhile...

Beryl laughed as she saw her enemy bound in the chains on the wall. Rubbing her hands together maliciously, she walked up to her and put her face up to the blue eyes that looked at her with pity.

"I will change that pity into hate, and with hate, you will be mine," Beryl drawled. Usagi looked up at her, wondering how this woman could be so filled with hate. She couldn't understand why this woman was alive. She thought that she had healed all of the Dark Kingdom with the Silver Crystal. Beryl laughed again.

"Soon," she said. Usagi looked up at her to see an expression that made her sad.

Beryl glanced over at her prisoner. "Don't you want to know what I have in store for you, your Highness?" she sneered. "I don't think that your friends will like you after I'm through with you."

Usagi again looked up at Beryl with pity in her eyes.

She couldn't stand it, to be impaled with those blue eyes. Grabbing Usagi's chin, Beryl stared at her. "Don't look at me!"

Usagi searched for something in Beryl's face that would help her understand. "Why?" she asked. She glanced down at the floor, trying to think what could possibly have happened to bring Beryl back from the dead.

Beryl came closer, close enough to breathe on Usagi, sending a chill down her spine. "It is not for you to know until it also becomes your purpose." Saying these last words, she raised her hand and slapped Usagi into unconsciousness.

******

One by one the senshi regained consciousness. Jupiter looked across the room to find Shingo chained to one of the walls. His head hung low, his bangs covering his eyes, but she could tell that he was awake. "Shingo," she called softly. 

He raised his head, trying to figure out who called his name. Finding Jupiter he wondered how she knew his name, but wondered if she was one of his sister's friends. "Who are you," he asked.

Jupiter shook her head gently. "A friend."

"You're one of Usagi's friends, aren't you," Shingo said.

Jupiter jumped, startled at the statement. Shingo wasn't asking, but looking for her name. "It's Kino Makoto."

"Aa," Shingo said.

"How did you know that I am a friend of Usagi's," she asked.

Shingo looked at his feet for a moment before answering. "I...I found out that she's Sailor Moon," he started. Looking back up at Jupiter to find her nodding her head slightly, he continued. "The evil woman was carrying her when I went looking for her this morning. The..." Shingo stopped for a second, wondering if what was happening was real. Taking a deep breath, "She said that I should be punished along with Sailor Moon, since I was part of the family that destroyed her."

Mercury woke up as Shingo was finishing his explanation to Jupiter. Trying to stand up, she found that chains held her to the wall like Shingo and Jupiter. Gathering her hands in front of her, she tried to summon her computer, but it wouldn't come. A voice suddenly spoke, startling the three that were awake. "Uh uh, Sailor Mercury. I wouldn't try any heroic deeds now. I have cut off your powers now that you are in the Dark Kingdom." There was an evil cackle before the silence began again.

Shingo looked over at Mercury as she searched the room. "Ami?" he asked. Mercury looked at him, nodding shyly. Shingo closed his eyes before talking again. "You're probably wondering how I knew it was Ami, when I didn't know who you were Sailor Jupiter." Jupiter nodded. Shingo glanced over at Mercury. "When Usagi brought Ami over for the first time, I couldn't believe that my sister would even know somebody as smart as she is. After finding out that my sister is who she is this morning, I figured that Ami must be one of the Sailor Senshi. Is Rei Mars?"

Jupiter nodded, looking for her. Seeing her bound with twice the chains, she mentally winced. 'Rei is not going to like this when she wakes up.'

Mercury saw Shingo watching her and blushed. "Shingo-kun, would you mind looking somewhere else for a minute, please?"

Shingo jerked, realizing that he had been staring. He let his eyes wander around the room, trying not to look at Mercury. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a flash of light. Looking over at Jupiter, he saw that she had gone back to her normal self as Makoto.

"I figure that we might as well conserve our energy while we're down her," Ami said as she finished her detransformation. "Shingo-kun, how long have you been down here?"

"A couple of hours," he began. "You've been here for about half an hour, and everybody kept on showing up. Sailor Venus and the one with the staff should be waking up soon."

"Sailor Pluto," Mako said. All three turned to look at Venus and Pluto, who still lay unconscious. Shingo tugged at his chains again, trying to bring some circulation back into his legs. Concentrating, he could have sworn he could see them coming off. Suddenly, there was a faint clink of metal against the concrete floor as the chains on his ankles fell off. Shingo stared at them for a moment, before thinking that he should try the same on his wrists. After a couple of seconds, those chains fell off as well. Looking up at Ami and Mako, he saw their mouths hanging open, not believing what they were seeing.

Crawling over to Mako, he placed his hands on the chains on her wrists, then on her ankles as the bonds broke. Going over to Ami, he did the same thing.

"How?" Ami started to say before wishing silently that she had her computer to see how Shingo had done that.

Shingo shrugged. "I don't know. All I did was wish that the chains would come off, and they did!" Shingo started to get excited, thinking that maybe he had special powers like his sister did.

Hearing a shuffling sound, Ami and Shingo went over to where Venus and Pluto lay. Shingo broke their bonds. Pluto woke up, and found herself looking at Shingo. Smiling faintly, she nodded at him before standing up. Grabbing her staff, she tried to look for possibilities as to where they were. She found nothing, not even a shimmer. Looking back at Shingo and Ami, she detransformed herself, nodding at Venus to do the same.

"Shingo," Setsuna said. "Would you please break everybody else's bonds as well?"

Nodding, he did so, trying to overcome his awe at being surrounded by the Sailor Senshi. Ami took pity on him and went over to him, telling him that they were still the same people he knew before. "Besides, you also have some power," Ami said. "Not everyone can break metal chains the way that you have just now."

Shingo brightened a little, thinking that maybe he did have a little power.

"Now," Setsuna started. "We must find a way to help the Princess."

******

Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Uranus walked on, both thinking that they would never reach the Dark Kingdom. Wondering if they were walking in circles, they stopped to get their bearings. Gazing across the barren wasteland at the North Pole, Tuxedo Kamen was startled to see a shimmering off in the distance.

"What's that," Uranus asked, pointing in the same direction.

"I have no idea, but maybe we had better investigate." Tuxedo Kamen started off in the general direction, feeling a tug. "I have the feeling that this may help us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

After ten minutes walking, they discovered the shimmering was actually light being thrown off of a large crystal. Putting his hands on it, Tuxedo Kamen realized that there was somebody inside of it. Concentrating on opening, he was able to split it. Uranus saw what he was doing, and took out the Space Sword to help. A large crack slowly formed down the center, suddenly bursting open, revealing the battered body of Jadeite.

"Jadeite..."

There was movement inside the coffin as Jadeite began to sit up. Tuxedo Kamen held his cane up, ready to defend himself. 

Jadeite shook his head, bringing up a hand to settle the spinning. Looking around him, he saw his prince and the senshi of Uranus. His prince was dressed a little differently than the last time he had seen him. "Endymion?" Jadeite tried to stand up, but fell back into the coffin, tired from his long sleep. Shaking his head again, he saw who was standing next to his prince. "Uranus! What..." he broke off, unable to understand the picture before him.

"Jadeite," Uranus muttered under her breath. She vaguely remembered who this man was before her. Watching as he rose from the crystal, she put a hand toward him to steady the former Dark General. As she touched, images of a past life raced by her eyes, too quick to comprehend. Startled, she pulled her hand back quickly, looking at it as if she had grown a sixth finger.

Glancing back at Jadeite, she found him smiling slightly as her before turning back to his prince.

"My Prince," Jadeite said, bowing. Shifting slightly, he bowed towards Uranus. "My Lady."

Looking back at the crystal coffin where he had lain, Jadeite shook his head softly before turning back to Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Uranus. "Come, we must find the others."

"Others?" Tuxedo Mask and Uranus looked at each other. Tuxedo Mask wasn't sure if he meant the Sailor Senshi or the generals.

"The Generals." Jadeite searched the horizon, trying to see the markers that were left over from the Dark Kingdom. "When Sailor Moon used the Silver Crystal to fight against Queen Beryl and Metallia, the four of us were healed. I was left in the crystal that Beryl put me in, and the others were put in them as well to keep us safe until the time came to be reawakened." Jadeite stopped talking, finally finding a marker. He motioned to Tuxedo Mask and Uranus to follow him. Walking for about five minutes they found a large hill that was not quite the same as the others that surrounded it. Holding his hands out, Jadeite closed his eyes to concentrate. Soon the snow melted away, revealing three crystals. Tuxedo Mask stepped up to the nearest one and touched his hand to it. There was a loud crack that echoed through the barren landscape as all three crystals slowly broke open. 

As soon as all three were fully open, Tuxedo Mask's outfit slowly changed. His tuxedo melted into a modified version of his Endymion armor. Instead of being black, it was a silver color with the trim in lavender. His cape changed to the lavender color, along with the sheath for his sword. Uranus watched, fascinated, as well as Jadeite.

Nephrite sat up, clutching his head, wondering what was going on. Catching Tuxedo Mask's transformation out the corner of his eye, he quickly turned his head. Seeing his prince's new armor triggered a memory in the far reaches of his mind. 

As he thought on it, Zoicite and Kunzite sat up. Finally remembering what the change signaled, Nephrite stood up and walked up to his prince. Bowing, he spoke. "My Prince. This is a sign of things to come. The stars foresee everything."

Sighing, Kunzite and Zoicite came over to their prince as well. Both bowed before Kunzite went over to Nephrite. "What's this thing with the stars." He turned back to his prince, nodding at Zoicite to explain.

Still bowing, Zoicite sighed. Refusing to look his prince in the eye, he started to stammer an apology. "My Prince, please forgive me for what I have done..." A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Standing tall once more, he began his story...

******

The Silver Millennium

"Mother, please tell me the story once more," pleaded a tow-headed young girl. Tugging at her mother's dress, she continued begging for another bedtime story.

"Now, Serenity," came the reply. "You have heard this story enough times that I expect that you can tell it back to me word for word."

"But, Mother, I like it when you tell it to me," the girl started to whine.

"Now, no more. Hop into bed, sweetheart," her mother said. Looking at her daughter's face, she sighed. "Very well, Serenity, I will tell you the story."

Jumping onto her bed, she grabbed her pillow, hugging it tightly and faced her mother. Seeing the look on her mother's face, she lay the pillow back down and got under the covers.

"Now, the Gods foretell of a young woman and young man who will one day rule the solar system. The woman wore a dress of pure white, with gossamer wings. Her long hair blew in the soft breeze that played through the air as it traveled through her kingdom. Beside her stood her husband, a man that wore clothes the color of the sky at dawn. Together the two of them ruled the kingdom with kind hands and gentle guidance. With their allies, they kept peace for all humankind.

"However, one day there was a great burst of evil on the planet. Both the woman and man were worried, and the woman decided that she would go to quell the evil that had started to spread. Before long, the woman had reached the place where the evil lived. She was hurt in battle, and failed to return to her kingdom.

"Afraid of what might have happened to his wife, the man headed for the out-reaches of the evil with his allies. Stumbling through the roadblocks the evil had set in their path, the man and his allies soon became separated from each other. Before he faced the evil, the man came upon old allies he had thought were lost to him forever. Waking them, they joined with the man and the last of his allies. Together, the six of them gathered what power they had and went to battle the evil.

"By this time, the brother of the young woman had joined the battle, and had stumbled upon the evil as it stole his sister. Finding his way through the hovel in which the evil lived, he soon found his sister's allies and freed them of their bonds. Discovering that he had power of his own boosted the young man's confidence, which gained him even greater power. The allies were amazed at the change wrought in the young man, and gathered him into their protection of the queen. The brother soon led his sister's allies to free his sister, finding the evil had put a spell of eternal sleep upon her. The brother went into a rage, and destroyed the coffin the evil had put his sister had been put in, but it was not enough to wake her from the spell. The allies added their power, but it still was not enough. Exhausting themselves, they could not find enough power to battle the evil as it came back. Soon, all of the allies were put under the same spell as the queen they had sought to protect.

"The king and the allies who were with him came upon the place where the evil was. Pooling all of their powers, they entered the hovel and found everybody they had sought to rescue in eternal sleep. Howling in despair, the young king threw all of his power at the evil, but it was not enough to dent it. Gathering all of their powers, his allies also aimed for the evil. The evil laughed at their pathetic attempts to stop it, and sent dark energy to the small group, putting them under the same strange spell. By destroying its enemies, the evil was now free to reign over the Earth it had sought to conquer so long ago."

The mother stopped there and looked at her daughter. "Now, Serenity, you must really try to sleep. I know that you are excited that your sister is coming home tomorrow, but you need some sleep or you won't have any energy to greet her with. Maybe she will tell you the rest of the story tomorrow night."

Serenity nodded, and snuggled down into the covers. She grabbed the small doll that her sister had given her before she had left. "Mother," she began, "when does Tranquility arrive?"

"In the morning, dear," her mother said. She pulled the covers up and tucked her younger daughter in. "Sweet daughter, I hope that you will remember to tell your children this story when you grow up."

Nodding her head sleepily, Serenity yawned. Turning on her side, she buried her head in her pillow, almost to the land of dreams.

The door opened and a woman dressed in fine robes came over to the mother. "You should try to get some rest, Queen Tranquility." Shaking her head softly, the woman looked down at the younger daughter of her queen. "I am sure that she will be a fine young woman when she grows up. I think that her children will have as kind a heart as she has."

The queen agreed. "I am sure they will, but I have a feeling that I will not live to see them."

Gasping, the woman tried to assure her queen that she would live to see her grandchildren, but the queen put her hand up, halting the woman's words.

The next day, Queen Tranquility stood, waiting for her older daughter's ship to arrive from the Earth. As she watched in horror, the ship burst into flame and headed towards her. Hearing a scream behind her, she turned to see her younger daughter weeping. Making a decision, she concentrated on the Silver Crystal and sent her daughter into the palace, where she would be safe. Turning back to the burning ship, she stood, waiting for it to hit the soil.

Serenity stood at the window, and watched in disbelief as she saw her mother be engulfed in the flame surrounding the burning ship. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she clawed at the window before fainting.

******

Zoicite paused before turning to his prince. "They say that the young king wore silver armor in battle, which makes us all believe that the story is becoming true."

Nodding, Jadeite stepped forward. "With this transformation, you have once again become Endymion, ruler of Earth."

Standing off to one side, Uranus went through the story handed down by the Gods. Walking up to the prince, she laid a hand on his arm. "If this is true, we should try our best. There is always a way to change a story." She looked at the four generals, who nodded their agreement. "Come on, let's go kick some butt."

Laughing, Endymion began his journey to bring back his life...


	2. Chapter 2: Allies

The Return

Chapter 2: Allies

By Richan

Disclaimers: I don't own Sailor Moon. sob

Shingo sat down in a corner of the cell next to Ami. He stared down at his hands, wondering where the strange power had come from. Sighing, he looked over at Ami, who sat, contemplating the situation. Realizing that Shingo was watching her, she blushed slightly before asking him what the matter was.

"Um," he began. He stopped to take a hurried breath. "How...how did you get your powers?"

Ami smiled at him. "Luna held power sticks for the four of us that are your sister's personal court."

"L-luna?"

Ami nodded.

"How could a cat give you those." Shingo stopped, confused.

"Luna, and Mina's cat, Artemis, were the advisors to Queen Serenity in the Silver Millennium. When it was destroyed, Queen Serenity sent all of us to this time to protect your sister, her daughter. Luna and Artemis were sent to search out the princess, in order to protect the Earth from the evil that had destroyed the Silver Millennium."

Closing his eyes, Shingo saw scenes flash by. Somehow, he realized, he had been a part of that, that it sounded so familiar. He could almost see Luna and Artemis standing next to the Queen as she guided her kingdom in peace. Inhaling deeply, he opened his eyes and looked at Ami and smiled. "I know...somehow I know who Usagi is, but I don't understand why we are here," he began.

Ami explained. "We were brought here by Beryl, who destroyed the Silver Millennium, and the reason why Usagi was awakened as Sailor Moon."

Nodding, Shingo looked at the others who sat around the cell. Thanking Ami for explaining, he rose and went over to where Hotaru sat. Sitting next to her, he looked over at her. "So," he said. "Why are you over here by yourself?"

Hotaru looked up at him, a little surprised that he came over to her. "Because Chibiusa isn't here."

"Chibiusa...you mean she is one of the sailor senshi?" Shingo asked.

"She's," Hotaru paused. She looked over at Setsuna, wondering if she should tell Shingo who she really was. Seeing Setsuna nod, she turned back to Shingo. "She's Usagi's daughter."

Shingo was shocked. "D-d-d-daughter? How...?"

"She came from the future, the first time to help her mother, the second to train as a senshi."

Shingo shivered, trying to understand this. The stuff about the Silver Millennium he could understand, but this was something else. "She's also Mamoru's daughter, isn't she?"

Hotaru nodded once, before putting her hand on Shingo's arm. She could see that this information was confusing Shingo to no end.

Across the room, Makoto, Minako, Michiru, and Setsuna sat huddled together. Ami made her way over to them and sat down next to Makoto. Setsuna shivered slightly, and the others looked at her in concern. "Time and space have shifted," she said softly. "I cannot not see much in the timeline."

This worried the others, especially when they saw the distress on her face. They felt helpless to comfort her, since they were unsure about the situation.

Ami spoke up. "I have some idea as to where we are, but I think that we need to go find Usagi. I am pretty sure that Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Uranus are trying to get here as fast as they can."

The others nodded, and looked over at Hotaru and Shingo. The two were sitting close to one another, talking quietly. Smiling, and feeling a little better, Setsuna rose and walked over to them. "I believe that you can help us, Shingo-san," she began.

Blushing, Shingo rose and helped Hotaru off of the floor. "Um, what can I do, that you can't," he asked.

"You have powers, while we can't use ours," Minako said.

"Oh." Heading for the door, Shingo stopped and put his hands on it. He could feel a strange power flowing through him and into the door. The others watched as the door warped and twisted, leaving an opening. He stepped through, the others following.

******

Back in Tokyo, Luna was starting to panic. Pacing the floor of Usagi's bedroom, she tried to think of some way to get in touch with the Senshi. The communicators had stopped working some time ago, and she was desperately trying to convince herself that nothing bad had happened.

"Luna," Artemis began. "I think that something is causing interference with the communicators."

Luna looked at him, finally stopped her pacing. Walking over to him, she glanced at the communicator they were using. "Do you think that we should go to the arcade?"

He nodded his head, wishing that Ami was here to figure out was wrong. He had the feeling that something had happened to the old Dark Kingdom. This was the same feeling that he had when the Silver Millennium had been attacked by Beryl and Metallia, the feeling that something so evil was coming that it was impossible for the human mind to imagine. Hiding his thoughts from his companion, he finished packing up his gadgets.

Arriving at the arcade, Luna noticed Motoki outside with his broom. He wasn't sweeping though, instead looking up at the sky, which had turned an unnatural black. 

Looking at Luna, Motoki wondered why Mamoru and Usagi hadn't gotten married this afternoon. "Where's Usagi, Luna?" He crouched down next to the cats and pet Luna. Standing, he headed back into the arcade and stood just inside the door. As he watched, Luna and Artemis followed him and headed towards the Sailor V game. Sitting in front of it, the cats paused and put their two heads together. This was something new, Motoki thought as he headed over to the game.

As he stood behind them, Luna spoke in a strange language that he had never heard. He was in shock, that this cat could speak, but he was soon in for more as the game slid forward, revealing a staircase below it.

"What...?"

Artemis looked over at Luna, wondering why she had spoken in front of Motoki. She just looked back at him, with an expression on her face telling him that she would explain later. Artemis shrugged his shoulders and began walking down the stairs.

"Are you coming, Motoki-san," asked Luna.

Motoki goggled. Shaking his head to clear it, he nodded and headed down, following Luna and Artemis. At the bottom, he stopped, amazed at all of the equipment. "How..." He drifted off, and went over to where Luna and Artemis had sat.

"Motoki-san," Luna said. "I thought that it was time that you knew this was down here." She looked up at Motoki to make sure he was listening and not in shock. "We come from an age that was old when the Earth was young. Artemis and I were sent with the Sailor Senshi to protect the Earth from its enemies. Guiding them, we help the senshi protect the Princess of the Moon, who is Usagi."

She stopped, seeing Motoki widen his eyes. 'Usagi, a princess?' he thought. 'This is just not possible.' Noticing that Luna had more to say, he collected his straying thoughts.

"As Sailor Moon, she has protected this planet, along with the prince that she is destined to marry, Endymion. You know him as Chiba Mamoru-san."

This really shocked Motoki. 'Mamoru? A prince? I always thought that he was special.' Thinking on everything Luna had said thus far, he could see a connection. "So Mamoru and Usagi are destined to marry? And I suppose that they will have a great kingdom," he added sarcastically.

Artemis nodded, startling Motoki. He had been joking, but these cats weren't.

"They are destined to become Queen and King of the Earth, along with their daughter, Princess Small Lady Serenity," Artemis said. "You have already met her daughter, Motoki-san."

Motoki laughed, thinking that Mamoru and Usagi must have had a kid in secret. He stopped when Luna said who she was. "Chibiusa? But...? How...?"

"She came from the future," Luna said. Turning to the computer screen before her, she pulled up the last transmission from the senshi's communicators. Suddenly there was a blip, startling both her and Artemis. They hadn't been able to receive any transmission from Usagi's house, but here there was one. She looked over at Artemis. "Something was blocking the communicators."

Nodding, Artemis contacted the communicator. Bringing up Sailor Uranus' face, he was shocked that it wasn't one of the inner scouts. "Uranus," he exclaimed. "What's happening? We can't get anybody else on their communicators."

Uranus' face clouded over as static ran through the screen. "They...taken...Beryl...Jadeite..."

Artemis tried to make sense as the transmission broke up. Trying again, he asked about what was going on. "Uranus..." He was cut off as the screen went black. Facing Luna, he spoke. "We definitely have a big problem.

Luna looked around the room, trying to remember where the portal was that they had found in the fight against Beryl. Figuring it out where it had been, she called Artemis over. "I think that we should go and try to find them. They may need some guidance. I can't stay back again if they have to fight Beryl and Jadeite. Something has reawakened them, and maybe the other generals as well."

Nodding, Artemis turned back to Motoki, who was still watching the screen of the communicator. "Motoki-san, would you please stay and watch over this place? Watch for any transmission on the screen, and if there is one, please let them know that we are on our way." Nodding once more, he and Luna took off.

Motoki sat down, wondering why his life had gotten so complicated. "I don't think that I can handle this," he said tiredly.

"Yes, you can," came a soft voice behind him. Turning around, he saw a young woman with dark brown hair streaked with red. She was wearing a short white dress with a blue chain at the waist and gold threaded through her long braid. She had thin gold sandals that were laced up to her knees, giving her a stately bearing. "Motoki-san, I know that this may seem different, but you are needed in battle."

Motoki sputtered. "No, I can't. I don't have powers like the Sailors do, or Usagi, or Mamoru."

Shaking her head, the woman put her hand on his arm. He could feel a soft energy flowing out from her that somehow felt right. "Motoki-san, I want you to remember your past life." Putting her right hand on his forehead, he fell into blackness.

******

The far reaches of space, a hundred years ago...

A large, white castle stood among lush green fields. Surrounded by flowers unknown to humans, the castle was the home of one of the greatest rulers that had been seen since the beginning of time. In the middle of this castle, there was a courtyard, where people mingled throughout the day. As the sun shone down, one man stood apart from the others, in deep thought. He watched the others almost absently, not really paying attention to what was going. A woman noticed him standing alone and walked over to him.

"Janus, why do you always seek the door of every room. You always look as if you're on your way out," the woman said.

Janus laughed. "Now Minerva, I wouldn't say anything about that. I know you don't like these functions any more than I do."

Smiling, she shrugged her shoulders. "I guess you could say that." She looked back at the other people in the room. "Let's say we ditch this joint, and find something that's not quite so boring."

Laughing, the two headed out the door, brushing past the guards. As they walked down the long hallway, they were greeted with a shout behind them. Turning, they saw Mithra running to catch up to them.

"Did you hear the news," he asked, panting slightly.

Shaking their heads, Janus and Minerva looked at him with questions on their faces.

"The Erinyes are lost," Mithra said.

"I see," stated Minerva.

Janus shook his head slightly. "I always knew they would eventually be lost, for it is hard to be one with nature when one is trying to avenge its wrongs."

Minerva agreed. "So, Mithra, where did this news come from?"

"A couple of sailor senshi as they fled from HIM," he said. "We asked them to stay and give us the details, for I think that they had something to do with the Erinyes being lost." Mithra looked sad for a second before looking around to see if anybody was listening. "Personally, I think that the others will not be as understanding as we are. Ever since we lost those who ruled, others have been fighting to rule this kingdom."

Minerva and Janus looked at him in agreement.

"We had better see these senshi before there is trouble," Minerva said.

******

Present day Tokyo...

"Motoki-san."

Dimly, he could hear the voice that reached out to him. Gathering all of his strength, he opened his eyes and stared at the woman before him. "Minerva?"

Nodding at him. "I am glad to see you are awake, Mithra.*" Turning, she spoke to the black- haired man behind her. "We have finally found Mithra, Janus."

Smiling broadly, Janus crouched down next to him. "So, I see that you have been busy in your mortal life," he said. Holding out his hand he helped Motoki sit up. "I see that you are just so original."

Laughing depreciatively, Motoki stood. "You know me, I always have to stand out in a crowd." Dusting himself off, he looked at the computer screen he had been sitting at. "I get the feeling that all of this is connected to the Erinyes."

Minerva nodded. Her form shimmered in a soft yellow glow. When Motoki and Janus could see her again, she was dressed in green slacks with a white sweater. "Watakushi no namae wa Itsumono Kashikoi[1]."

Motoki laughed. "I see you are as 'original' as I am."

Janus laughed as well. He transformed as well into his human form. "Well, I was graced with the name Yojin Suru[2]."

Motoki laughed. Kashikoi smiled, indicating that she had already heard this. Soon her smile faded as she realized that they were wasting time. "Come, we must find the others and hope that we are not too late. I believe that the sailor senshi will be in greater trouble than they realize."

******

Endymion, Uranus, and the Generals were headed toward the entrance to the former Dark Kingdom. Hearing a cry, they stopped, looking for the source. Out of the mist came Luna and Artemis, staggering slowly against the wind. The two cats halted in their tracks when they saw the four generals standing behind Endymion, who looked a little different than he had before.

"Wh-what?" Luna exclaimed. She looked at Endymion and the generals, trying to figure out how they had been awakened, and weren't trying to get rid of their former prince.

Endymion stepped up to the two cats. "Luna, Artemis, don't worry. Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Kunzite are on our side." Smiling at them, he turned to the others. "Come, we must go."

They proceeded forward, Nephrite stopping to give the cats a ride.

******

Usagi hugged her knees, trying to keep warm. She couldn't understand how Beryl had been resurrected, and why she was trying to brainwash her. Usagi sighed, knowing that all Beryl was saying wasn't true. She had the feeling that help would come soon. Hearing the door open, she looked up in hope that it was Tuxedo Mask or one of the senshi. Instead, Beryl came in once more with a long rod in her right hand.

"Ah, the little princess has awakened. Expecting your prince to arrive, are we?" Beryl cackled before standing in front of Usagi. "Since you are being so stubborn, I have decided that if you won't join me in serving my new master, you won't be able to fight against me either. I think that you would make a lovely addition of art to my collection." 

Raising the rod up into the air, she started to chant in an archaic language. Clouds gathered above her head, thick as ink. As she finished chanting, she looked down at Usagi. "Now, my little princess, I will not wish you a good night."

The clouds raced towards Usagi as she screamed in horror. The clouds whipped around her, engulfing her in darkness. Fighting it as best she could, she found herself weak. Overwhelmed, she collapsed.

Beryl laughed. Her greatest enemy was encased in a dark glass box, sealed for all eternity.

There was a gasp behind her. Turning, she found Shingo and the senshi that she had captured. "And so, the rescuers arrive a little too late," she said triumphantly.

Shingo stared at the box that enclosed his sister. Anger built rapidly as he looked at Beryl, who stood with a large smirk on her face. Unable to bear the thought that his sister was trapped, he let the anger grow, until it took over. Raising his hands, he let power crash out of them towards Beryl. 

Taken by surprise, Beryl was hit with the power. Gripping the rod tighter in her hand, she raised it once more. The power that Shingo had hit her with dissipated, leaving thin trails behind her, also disappearing. 

The senshi had watched in shock when Shingo attacked Beryl, but seeing her with no discernable injuries, the shock turned to horror. They watched in fear as Beryl began to chant again, bringing the clouds back. The senshi tried to transform, but there was no connection to the powers. Frightened, they looked at Beryl, who unleashed the clouds.

Surrounded by the darkness, the senshi and Shingo tried to fight, but were soon exhausted, losing the battle.

Beryl laughed again. "I should have done this sooner."

******

*Mithra is the god of light and wisdom.

[1] Itsumono Kashikoi means 'wise always.' Minerva is the goddess of wisdom and war.

[2] Yojin Suru means 'be watchful.' Janus is the god of beginnings. He was believed to have presided over the beginning of the new year.


	3. Chapter 3: More Allies?

The Return

Chapter 3:  More Allies?

By Richan

Thanks to everybody who has reviewed. Further chapters will be put up sporadically, since I am slowly editing these myself, in between my other projects.

Disclaimers: See chapter 1. I don't feel like saying I don't own these characters. .

  "So, we have to find the others," Motoki said.

  Kashikoi nodded. "I believe that we will find the others in Tokyo, but I have the feeling that one is already lost."

  Suru agreed. "I have that feeling as well." He turned to Motoki. "So these cats could speak, right?"

  "Yes."

  Suru thought for a couple of seconds. "If what they said about the Silver Millennium is true, they were the advisors to Queen Serenity."

  "It is true," Kashikoi said. "If I remember rightly," Motoki and Suru snickered softly, stopping after she glared at them. "They were sent to guard her young daughter."

  Entering a small park, they sat down on a nearby bench. "I always thought it was so tragic the way she became queen, losing her mother and sister in that horrible accident."

  Suru interrupted. "That was Chaos at work. How his daughter and her son ever created such beautiful life is beyond me."

  Motoki smiled. "Gaea and Uranus were much better than he ever was, even if he made all of the planets. I never liked him."

  Kashikoi agreed. "I am glad that he is no longer complete. I shudder to think what the universe would become if he were to ever become whole again."

  All three shivered.

  Kashikoi gazed up into the dark sky before looking across the park. Rising from her seat, she set off to the other side of the park. Looking at each other and wondering what was going on, Motoki and Suru went after her. Noticing she had stopped at a vendor, they sighed, wondering why he was open this late at night. Thinking about it, they realized that it was only 7 in the evening. As they walked over to her, both shook their heads.

  "I don't ever think I'll understand her fascination with ice cream," Suru said. Motoki just shook his head, laughing. Kashikoi came up to them with a triple scoop cone with chocolate, strawberry, and cherry ice cream.

  "Yum..." Digging in, she closed her eyes, letting the flavors roll around in her mouth. She stopped suddenly, feeling like the dirt under her feet moved. There was a bright light behind her eyelids, and she saw a young girl standing at a bus stop. Knowing that this must be one of those they were seeking, she opened her eyes. Looking at Motoki and Suru, she dropped her ice cream cone in a trashcan and started running to the east. Instinctively knowing that she had found someone, the two followed her.

  Catching up to her, they saw Kashikoi standing next to a girl with red hair. "Unazumi," Motoki stuttered. 

  Suru looked at him. "You know her?"

  He nodded. "She's my sister." As they watched, Kashikoi put her hand up to Unazumi's forehead. A bright light shone as she dropped to the ground. Catching her, Motoki glanced at Kashikoi, startled to see a tear sliding down her cheek.

  "She will awaken soon," she said sadly. Muttering, she turned away. "Sometimes I just don't like the things I know must be done."

******

Star Castle, Kakyuu...

  "We must go back."

  Three heads looked up sharply. Looking at their princess, they wondered why.

  Looking at her protectors, Princess Kakyuu smiled slightly. Walking over to the window, she looked upon her planet. Gifted with plants, the planet had revived after being crushed by Galaxia. Turning back to her loyal senshi, she explained.

  "I believe that the Earth is in terrible danger."

  Fighter gasped, while Maker looked on with widened eyes. Both looked over at Healer, who had no reaction at all. Princess Kakyuu looked at her, understanding why.

  "Healer, I believe that you have felt this as well."

  Nodding, she shivered. "This is the same feeling I got as when Galaxia was near."

  Maker stood up. "How can this be? Sailor Moon sent Chaos out into the minds of everyone, so it can't be that, can it," she asked uncertainly.

  Fighter stood up as well. "It can't be Chaos. Odango Atama would not let such a thing happen."

  Princess Kakyuu sighed, wishing that Fighter would heal soon of his unrequited love for the senshi of the Earth's moon. Going up to Healer, she put a hand on her shoulder. "Healer, will you be alright if we return? I know that it will be more difficult for you than for the rest of us, for you feel the pain of others."

  Healer looked up at her princess. Seeing the confidence in her eyes, she nodded. Kakyuu held out her hand to help Healer up. Looking at her senshi, she knew that she would not see them again.

  "Please, let us go," Kakyuu said. The senshi went outside, following their princess and waiting for her signal to begin their journey. Kakyuu stopped and turned back to them. "Please, enjoy your life." Saying this, she put up her hands and sent them towards the Earth at astonishing speeds. As she felt them leave the star system, she turned to the three that stood off among the trees. Motioning for them to come forward, the three stepped into the light, revealing that they wore the costumes of Sailor Senshi. All three looked sad at the departure of their predecessors before Kakyuu shook her head. "Don't worry, they will be happier where they are going. The gods' will be done."

  Heading into the castle, she looked up at the night sky. "Be well."

******

  Endymion and his allies stood at the precipice of a gaping hole. Looking down, they could see the evil swirling in its depths.

  "We have to go down in that?" Uranus swore. This was not what she had been expecting. Neptune was somewhere down there, and so was her princess.

  Kunzite walked a couple of feet to the right, looking for the entrance. "I see somebody has done some remodeling since we've been here."

  Zoicite laughed. "What, did you think that everything stays the same?"

  Endymion looked over at the two, shaking his head. Luna jumped down from Nephrite's arms and came over. "We should find the entrance soon. I have a bad feeling about being up here."

  "How true," came a voice behind them.

  Turning, the small troop beheld Beryl. Her flowing red hair blew in the wind and in her hand was a glowing rod. Beryl was ecstatic, for before her was the Prince of the Earth and the generals that had served both him and her. Looking past them, she saw Sailor Uranus, Luna, and Artemis.

  "My, what a motley collection of soldiers you have, Endymion," she smirked.

  Jadeite growled at her. "Since when did you become such an expert in this Beryl?"

  Beryl stepped back at this unexpected vehemence. "Why Jadeite, I didn't know that you missed me so much."

  "Where is Usagi," Endymion demanded to know. "Let her go."

  "What, and lose my best piece of art," she asked sarcastically. "That would be such a shame to lose such a valuable part of my collection. I do believe that I have in my possession the largest collection of senshi art in the universe."

  Uranus pulled out her Space Sword and aimed for Beryl. "What have you done to Neptune, you hag?"

  "Hag?" Beryl laughed as she easily dodged Uranus' attacks. "Can't you think of something better, little girl?"

  Uranus pulled back, angry that she couldn't touch this woman. She went forward again when she heard Endymion telling her to stop. Stepping backwards until she reached the group again, she looked over at the prince, a little angry with him for stopping her. When she saw the determination of his face, though, she let the anger go.

  Looking over all of his allies, he asked them to give everything they had. "Everyone, I know that I ask much of you, but we need all of the power to defeat her." He looked at everyone individually as each nodded in agreement. "Right."

  Taking out his sword, he turned to Beryl. "GO!" He slashed at Beryl as his generals powered up. In the background he could hear Uranus gather up a 'World Shaking.' As he got close to Beryl, though, he was forced back by a field surrounding her.

  Laughing at them, Beryl raised the rod. Lifting it high, she gathered the dark energy stored in it and aimed it at Endymion and his troop.

  Luna and Artemis watched in horror as black energy headed towards them. As it hit them, Luna felt the air forced from her lungs. Struggling to breathe, she looked on as the troop fell into unconsciousness. Finally, she could not hold any more, and fell into unconsciousness.

******

  The ground shook violently, trees swaying back and forth. Grabbing onto a nearby light pole, Kashikoi looked up to the sky. "It's starting."

  Unazumi opened her eyes. "Hey," she muttered. "Somebody stop the Earth, I want to get off."

  Transforming, Minerva helped her stand up. "Juno."

  As she watched, Unazumi saw her brother and another man transform into their deity likenesses. "Mithra, Janus, Minerva." She looked at them and felt herself transform. Glancing down, she found herself in a short white toga, with a red chain around her waist. She saw Mithra with a black chain at his waist, and Janus with a white one.

  Images flying past her mind's eye, she saw what had happened so long ago in the castle she had one ruled. "So the Erinyes have been found."

  Nodding, Minerva looked as the surface of the Earth buckled. "It would seem that they have found a willing partner, but I think that somebody is also behind this."

  Janus spoke up. "Even at their greatest power, the Erinyes were never this powerful."

  Mithra looked thoughtfully at his feet. Raising his head, he said, "I think it is the one who we fear the most."

  The others looked at him in horror.

  "No," shouted Minerva.

  "It can't be," Juno said.

  Janus glanced over at Mithra. "We will find out sooner or later, but we must find the others."

  Around them the Earth twisted, tossing buildings through the air as if they were coins. The mass destruction grew, as they saw the dark clouds roll in from the north.

  "We will not find who we seek until this has settled," Minerva said.

  Gathering their power, they went up to the moon to wait.

******

  The three flew through space, wondering why their princess had sent them off alone. Healer looked at the others and gasped, for they no longer wore their senshi uniforms. She looked down at herself and found that she didn't wear her senshi uniform as well. Instead, she found that she was wearing the suit that she had worn as one of the ThreeLights. She felt a change coming over her, and she soon became Yaten Kou once more. Glancing over at his companions, she found that they had become Seiya Kou and Taiki Kou.

  "Princess," Seiya said. "Why...?"

  "I think that she may have had a purpose for doing this," Taiki stated. He looked over at Yaten, who was looking off into the space as they passed star systems. "Yaten," he began.

  Yaten looked back, his green eyes filled with despair. "She has already picked out our replacements," he spat.

  "What," Seiya yelled. The word echoed around the sphere in which they were traveling, and the three covered their ears.

  "Seiya," Taiki chided. He turned to Yaten. "What do you mean, 'replacements?'"

  "She has taken others as her senshi."

  "What," Taiki yelled, and winced as that also echoed.

  "Taiki," mocked Seiya. "You mean that she has a new Sailor Star Fighter?" He didn't like the way this conversation was going.

  Yaten nodded.

  "Well, how are we supposed to fight," Seiya asked.

  There wasn't an answer.

******

  Four beings stood on the moon, saddened by the destruction wrought on the planet before them.

  "I do not like standing here, and not be able to do something," Juno said.

  "We cannot do anything until there is a period of rest," Minerva said.

  Mithra started to speak when a bright light heading towards to Earth caught his eye. Leaving the surface, he headed to the sphere to stop its flight. Seeing three men inside it, he halted its progress. The three men looked at him in surprise, and he recognized them. "The ThreeLights?"

  Holding onto the sphere, he went back to where Juno, Janus, and Minerva waited. Setting it gently down, he looked at the others. "See what I found?"

  Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten stared at the beings before them. They didn't have to breathe, since there was no air on the moon. As they watched, the woman with the blue chain stepped through the sphere.

  "I believe these are the ones we were waiting for," she said.

  Mithra laughed. "Figures."

  Putting her hand up to Yaten's forehead, she smiled and said, "Remember."

  As Seiya and Taiki watched, Yaten fell onto the ground. Minerva put her hand up again, this time at Taiki's forehead, repeating, "Remember." Moving to Seiya, she said, "Do not worry, friend Seiya-san. Remember." She put her hand on his forehead and he fell into nothingness.

  Rising to the surface of his mind, he could hear a soft voice.

  "Jeez, Minerva, did you have to smile at them? They probably think you were flirting with them," came an exasperated voice.

  "Oh, shut up, Janus," came the soft reply. "Like you didn't smile when I woke up Juno."

  "Uh..."

  There was laughter as he opened his eyes. Turning his head, he looked over at Yaten and Taiki and saw them starting to wake up. Struggling to sit, he was helped up by warm hands. Looking up, he saw the woman who had spoken. Her blue eyes were filled with concern. "Are you ok?" she asked.

  Nodding, he stood. As he did, he could feel power running through him, but it was different from the power of Fighter. Letting it overwhelm him, he felt himself become a woman once more.

  Hearing a gasp, he looked over to see the two men with the mouths wide open. The one with the black chain stammered, "To think that Seiya Kou is actually a woman!"

  "What!" Yaten looked over at Seiya, who really wasn't Seiya anymore. In his place was a woman dressed in the same manner as the other two, except that she wore a sky-blue chain. He went to take a step forward when a memory rose from the back of his mind. As it surfaced, he felt himself transforming into a woman as well, wearing a short toga with a purple chain at her waist. Looking over at Taiki once it had stopped, she saw that he had become female also, wearing a yellow chain.

  Juno looked on in awe. "Whoa," she gasped.

  Minerva just sighed. Looking over the group, she could tell this would take awhile to explain. She looked over at Janus. "I think you should tell them."

  "What," he asked, "Me? You should tell them. After all, you are the wisest one, oh Minerva."

  "Cute," was the sarcastic reply. "As the father of beginnings, you should be the one."

  As they started to argue, Juno spoke up. "Ceres," she began, walking over to the being once known as Seiya. "Welcome back." She turned to Taiki, and nodded her welcome. "Demeter." Going over to Yaten, she held out her hand in a welcoming gesture, and said, "Vesta."

  Minerva and Janus stopped arguing, finally deciding that they would take turns and tell the others what was happening.

******

  Beryl laughed as she continued to take over the planet she had so long desired to rule. Seeing as how there was no longer any senshi to worry about, she played with her new powers. The powers were stronger than those she had been given by Metallia, and she felt invincible. She didn't know who had given them to her, but she wasn't one to turn down a gift. Lifting the rod, she froze more of the surface.

******

  Minerva looked over at Earth as she finished. "I wish there was some way to stop her, but we have to gather the sleeping guardians."

  "Sleeping guardians?" Janus looked confused. "Why didn't you tell me this? This is going to be way harder than I thought."

  The others nodded their heads, before Demeter asked, "You mean those that guard the planets in this star system?"

  "Yes," Minerva said.

  The others shuddered, especially Juno. "This will not be fun."

  "We will have to wake them, for there is a terrible war coming towards us. The one who is darkness itself leads this destruction."

  Vesta gasped. "You mean..." She drifted off, unable to voice her thoughts.

  Nodding, Minerva stopped talking. Glancing once more at the Earth, her mouth drooped slightly. Looking back at the others, she pulled herself together. "Well, there's no time like the present. Where should we start first?"

  Mithra looked at the others before speaking, "Mercury."

  Janus agreed. "The messenger will be helpful in waking the others."

  "Mercury," Juno nodded.

  "Mercury," Ceres said, standing tall.

  "Mercury," Vesta said.

  "Mercury," Demeter whispered. As she spoke, she felt a small shock run through her.

******

  The gods approached Mercury, looking for the palace that held its sleeping guardian. Spotting it, Janus motioned the others in that direction. Landing softly on the surface, he spoke, "I think that we might be able to find him if we split up." Finding no fault in this logic, they split up into three groups: Minerva and Ceres; Mithra and Vesta; and Janus, Juno, and Demeter.

  "So, we have to wake him up," asked Ceres as she traveled down a hallway with Minerva. "I don't like the sound of this."

  Minerva looked over at her. "Don't worry. He will not be hard to awaken, because he is always ready to help others."

  In another hallway, Mithra and Vesta stopped at rooms along it. After searching the sixth one, Mithra stopped. "Man, I think I should have stayed in bed this morning," he complained.

  Vesta looked at him. "If you were in bed, you would be frozen back on Earth."

  "Good point."

  Standing in a courtyard near the middle of the palace, Demeter stood a couple of feet behind Janus and Juno. She could feel something nearby, but she couldn't tell. Looking at the other two, she saw them flirting with the other.

  Sighing, she went to sit down on a bench. As she did, she could feel the bench move. Jumping up, she saw that the bench was a sarcophagus. She stepped back, inching towards Janus and Juno. Glancing back at them, she saw they were frozen. Looking back, she saw the sarcophagus open, revealing a blue key and a hat with wings on either side. Reaching for them, Demeter heard a voice whisper, "The key will unlock the door behind this wall. Please free me." The voice drifted off.

  Looking back at Janus and Juno, she found them walking towards her. "I think you found the first clue," Juno said.

  Demeter nodded, and looked back at the sarcophagus. Hidden faintly in the lining was a small keyhole. Putting the key in the lock, she turned it, opening the back of it. "I think this is where we go." Slipping in, she watched as the door slammed shut behind her, cutting off Janus and Juno. "I think this is where I go," she muttered under her breath.

  Taking a deep breath, she moved on, holding the hat tightly between her hands. Soon she came to a great door, standing hundreds of feet high. Wondering how she would ever get through, she heard the voice again. "Wear this hat, and you will fly."

  Putting on the hat, Demeter found herself floating a couple of inches off the ground. Reaching out to the door, her hand went through. Seeing this, she pushed through the door. On the other side, she saw a large bed with a form in the middle of it. Taking off the hat, she walked over to the bed.

  There, on the bed, lay a slim blond man, sleeping. Knowing that this was Mercury, she called softly. "Mercury, who guards this planet and the senshi that protects it, please wake up. We are in need of your help." As she watched, the man's eyes blinked open. Seeing Demeter standing there, he sat up. "Demeter?"

  Nodding, she handed the hat to him. "Yes, it is I. We are in need of your help. We fear that the one who is darkness itself has overtaken the Earth."

  Mercury gasped. "So, the oracle is coming true. If that is so, we must wake the others."

  "That is what we have gathered for," Demeter said.

  Mercury looked at her closely. "Your human form is in love with the senshi of this planet," he stated.

  It wasn't a question. Demeter opened her mouth to deny it, when Mercury held up his hand. "Don't say anything, Demeter. It is not I who can say this is right or wrong. That is left up to you and her."

  Putting on his hat, he stood up and went to the door. Taking a hold of her hand, they went through the door, meeting up with the others.

******

  Far below the surface of the Earth, there was a loud report. Echoing through the chamber, it slowly dwindled into nothing.

******


	4. Chapter 4: Sleeping Guardians

The Return

Chapter 4: Sleeping Guardians

by Richan

AN: Bonus! Three chapters for the price of one.

* * *

  


  The small band traveled through the castle on the planet Mercury. Reaching the outermost door, they needed to decide where they would go next. Mercury suggested Mars, but the rest were a little wary of his fiery temper. Looking at Mithra, Minerva asked him where they should go. A little shocked that she would ask him, he just stared.

  "Well," she said. "You did say that we come here first."

  The others looked at him expectantly. Sweating slightly under the pressure, Mithra thought.

  "I say we should go to Venus next. She will be able to talk to the others."

  Mercury laughed. "Sweeten them up, maybe?"

  Minerva smiled. "More like he wants to hit on her."

  Everybody except Mithra laughed, who turned a dark red, confirming Minerva's idea.

  Traveling through space, Juno was worried that this would take awhile. Even at the speeds they could travel, it would still take several hundred years to wake all of the sleeping guardians. Sighing, she wished that there was a way to go faster.

  Vesta looked over at Juno and saw the worried expression on her face. "What's wrong, Juno?"

  Shaking her head, she said, "Nothing, really." She looked at Vesta's face and realized that she couldn't stop there. "I just was thinking that this will take a long time to wake everybody up."

  Nodding, Vesta agreed. "We should talk on Venus."

  Finally arriving on Venus, they walked towards the golden castle that stood on the top of a large hill. As they went past the gates, they failed to notice the stone lions that guarded it turned their heads to watch them.

* * *

  


  The Earth was in a state of despair. What humans had survived Beryl's attack on the planet huddled together in small groups. Isolated, they struggled to stay alive on what plants they could find. If they were lucky, they would find an animal they could kill for meat.

  One man, though, wandered the Earth, going from group to group. Surviving as best he could, he taught the groups ways to adapt. He taught them to plant the seeds of the plants they found, to replenish their food supply, and to breed animals for food and clothing. The man was knowledgeable about the fruits of the earth, but none of the groups were able to learn his name. Refusing all manner of thanks and gifts when he left, he always sought out another group in need of his help.

* * *

  


  Standing as the gates to the castle on Venus, the group looked up at the building. Mercury snickered. "Only Venus would have such a large castle for herself and Eros."

  The others smiled, except Minerva. Turning to look behind them, she froze. Ceres noticed this and looked as well. Frozen as well, they watched in horror as two huge stone lions approached them. They could hear the others enter to castle and the door shutting. Unable to speak, Minerva and Ceres looked on with wide eyes. One of the lions stopped before Minerva and delicately sniffed the hem of her robe. Purring, it started to rub against her legs, knocking her down under it weight. Finally able to move, she laid her hand on its head. "Ceres, I believe we have nothing to worry about." Looking over at her companion, she saw that the other lion was on top of Ceres, enthusiastically licking her face.

  Minerva laughed and hugged the lion in front of her, poking herself on the stone mane. "Itai," she said. Gazing into the face of the lion before her she smiled. The lion sat down, trying to nuzzle against her.

  "Itai," Ceres yelled. Pulling her attention away, Minerva looked across the path and saw that the lion in front of Ceres had laid down on her. Standing up, she went over and gently pushed the lion off and held out her hand to help Ceres up.

  Dusting herself off, Ceres looked at the two lions. "You know, these guys remind me of the twins."

  Minerva nodded. "They do." She glanced back at the castle. "We should probably catch up to the others, don't you think?"

  Ceres agreed, but before they could take a step, they were stopped by the lions. Walking in front of Ceres and Minerva, they sat down in front of the gate. "What...?"

  As they sat there, the lions began to slowly crack and split open, leaving two very naked men behind. Minerva and Ceres looked at each other. "It was the twins," Minerva exclaimed.

  Speechless, Ceres could only stare.

  "And I think they need clothes," Minerva laughed. She started to blush as the men stood. Covering their eyes, she and Ceres turned away.

  "Uh, Romulus, where did our clothes go," one of the men asked.

  "Don't ask me, Remus," the other said. "I just woke up." Noticing Ceres and Minerva facing the other way, their faces as red as beets, he pointed them out to his brother. "I believe we have guests."

  Romulus smiled. "With such lovely ladies, I believe we will need some clothes, brother." So saying, clothes formed around the two of them.

  "Ah ladies," Remus said. "I believe you are looking for the goddess of love?"

  "Are you decent?" Minerva asked.

  Silence.

  "They can't hear you nod your head, Remus. Yes we are," came the reply.

  Turning around, Ceres sighed. "Great guards Venus has, boys."

  Minerva laughed. "I see you held up against the great invaders. That desperate for female companionship, are you?"

  Remus and Romulus pinkened. Putting his hand behind his head, Remus smiled slightly. "Maybe."

  Ceres and Minerva looked at each other and burst out laughing. Stifling her giggles, Minerva asked them why they still guarded the gate.

  "Venus isn't inside the castle," Romulus said. "The castle is really a trap."

  "What?" Ceres cried. "You mean that the others walked in on it? Couldn't you have stopped them?"

  Shaking his head, Remus spoke. "Only by looking back at us was enough to break the spell that enchants the castle. I am impressed, Minerva, by the strength of your mind, and yours as well, Ceres."

  "I only looked back because I saw Minerva do so," Ceres said sheepishly.

  "Anyways," Romulus began. "The castle where Venus lies is beyond the mountain far to the east. There she sleeps, along with Eros. I must warn you, however, that Anteros guards the castle. It was he who built this castle."

  "Sounds like something he would do," Minerva said. "How did you guys get stuck in those lions, anyway?"

  "Let's just say it involved a few too many tequila shots," Remus said.

  "And let's not go any further," Romulus added.

  "Oooookay." Minerva looked over at Ceres. "The best way to get everybody out of this fake castle is to probably face down Anteros, and since we are there, we might as well wake Venus.

  Ceres agreed, while the twins nodded their heads enthusiastically. "I guess we should leave now," she said. Thanking the brothers, they headed off to face Anteros.

* * *

  


  Eros paced the floor of his mother's bedchamber. He could feel something terrible had happened on the Earth that his mother loved so much. 'That I love so much,' he added silently. Glancing at his mother who stood by the window, he sighed. Going over to her, he put his hand on her shoulder.

  "Do you think that they can win against him," he asked.

  Venus nodded slightly. "A woman's heart is much stronger than the strongest of desires. I do not worry so much for them as I do their companions."

  "You wish that you could help them, don't you," Eros added.

  "Yes," she said. "This is really my fight against my youngest son, and I do not like the fact that he will not fight me."

  Looking out the window, Venus saw Ceres and Minerva approach the castle. She could almost feel Anteros' defenses rise up against them. "I fear that this fight will not be fair," she said.

  Eros looked out the window as well, nodding.

* * *

  


  Minerva looked at the castle and nodded. "This is a castle that I can really picture Venus living in." Before the two goddesses stood a castle, not much bigger than a large house really. Only the turrets at the four corners signaled what it actually was.

  Ceres looked up at the roof, the flags at the turrets catching her eye. "Look at the flags, Minerva. They're black."

  "Anteros," Minerva muttered.

  There was a spray of black before them, revealing a young man with black hair and eyes, with black wings on his back. "Did somebody call my name?"

  "It wasn't so much calling as swearing," Minerva said under her breath.

  Cocking his head, Anteros said, "What was that? I don't believe they heard you on OLYMPUS?" He shouted the last word, sarcasm dripping from it.

  "Somebody got up on the wrong side of the planet this morning," Ceres asked mockingly.

  Anteros took a step back. He had thought that these two goddesses would be a snap to trap like the others inside the false castle. 'Wait a minute, what am I thinking? I can beat these broads anytime I like. After all, I just have to make them desire something else,' he thought. Bringing up his bow, he shot two arrows at Minerva and Ceres, laughing when they hit.

  As the arrow hit her chest, Minerva saw the surface of Venus go topsy-turvy. Trying to right herself, she looked over at Ceres--and was lost.

  Ceres felt herself sway under the force of the arrow. She turned to look at Minerva, and couldn't believe that she had been with the most beautiful creature that she had ever seen.

  Anteros laughed. "I believe that these arrows will do the trick," he said to the air. "I have yet to see anybody, mortal or god, who could leave the throes of lust." Laughing some more, he headed back into the castle to stand before his mother and brother.

  "Were you so foolish as to believe that they could help you?"

  Venus looked at him with a sad look in her eyes. Grabbing Eros' hand, she turned back to the window, praying to Olympus that they would be able to overcome this spell.

* * *

  


  Minerva fell to the ground, unable to stand at the sight before her. She had never seen Ceres look so...desirable. Closing her eyes, she began to crawl over to her when something clicked in her brain. Stopping, she tried to think what it was they had to do, but the image of Ceres superimposed the thought. She started towards her again, looking into gorgeous blue eyes.

  Ceres couldn't believe the vision coming towards her. The burnt sienna hair framed the blue-green eyes that were so enticing. Kneeling, she held out her hands and grabbed for Minerva.

  As the two women touched, a memory raced through their minds, momentarily blocking the desire coursing through them. Minerva shook her head and closed her eyes again, regaining a slight amount of control. She could feel Ceres wrap her arms around her, but somehow it didn't feel right. Opening her eyes, she found Ceres inches away from her face. Minerva put her hands on Ceres' cheeks, holding her there.

  "Ceres," she began breathlessly. "This is a trick."

  Ceres closed her eyes, shaking her head. This desire could be no trick. It felt so real. "Ceres, wake up!" She felt a hand slap her face, and opened her eyes to look into Minerva's. Seeing the fear there, she took a deep breath, struggling to regain some semblance of herself.

  Minerva saw that Ceres was back in control. She leaned her forehead against hers for a couple of seconds before pulling back. "That..." she paused, overthrowing a passing remnant of desire. "That was not fun..."

  Ceres tried to laugh, but it came out more like a growl. "Anteros...he...what..." She couldn't speak, she was so angry at the god of anti-love.

  Minerva stood up, a scowl on her face. It was time to go to war. Willing her armor to appear, she held a long sword in her right and a shield in her left. On her head was a great plumed hat. She wore chest armor and leg guards. Ceres looked at her. 'I'm glad it's not me she's mad at.'

  Marching up to the castle, she slammed open the doors. Striding down the hallway, her armor clinking softly, she searched out Anteros.

  "Come here, wimp boy," she yelled. "I have a score to settle with you."

* * *

  


  At the window, Venus laughed. Eros looked at her. "How did you know they would be able to fight it off?"

  "Minerva had always preferred to get work done before pleasure. She may get caught up in something, but if there is something that must be done it comes first." She shrugged her shoulders and turned to face her son. "She figures that if she gets the work done as soon as she can, there'll be more time for pleasure."

  Laughing, Eros shook his head. "My, the friends you have, mother."

  "Stop calling me that, you silly boy. I am not old enough to be anybody's mother," Venus said, winking at him.

  "Flirt," was all he said in reply.

* * *

  


  Anteros sat at the desk he had appropriated from his brother. He could feel a shaking in the house, and he turned to see the windows bulging. The door whipped open, and he saw Minerva standing in the doorway, rage in her eyes.

  "M-Minerva," he started.

  "Anteros." His name hit him with great force, knocking him backwards into his chair. "How dare you mock me with that arrow. You took the love of friendship and turned it into something disgusting." She held out her sword, touching Anteros' throat with the point.

  Ceres ran into the room, breathless. She had been trying to catch up to Minerva for a couple of minutes. "Minerva," she whispered.

  Minerva turned her head towards Ceres. "Let me do it."

  Shaking her head, Ceres walked over to take the sword from Minerva's hand. "It is not for us to do. This is for Jupiter to decide. Anteros has it coming. From all of his work that I have seen through the galaxy, he will get his punishment when Jupiter awakes."

  Sighing, Minerva looked at Anteros cowering under the desk. "Not even one little scratch?"

  "No."

  "Party pooper."

* * *

  


  Venus stood outside the real castle with others who were rescued from the one Anteros had built. She looked at Eros. "Are you sure you will not join us?" she asked.

  Eros shook his head. "I will look over those left on Earth, and try to help them get through this until all of the guardians have awoke."  He looked over at Minerva, who was still pouting about not getting to hurt Anteros. Walking over to her, he whispered in her ear. "I'm sure that someday, your love will be able to grow naturally, instead of being forced."

  Pulling back, Minerva stared at him in shock. Eros winked at her, waved goodbye to the growing band of warriors, and walked into the castle.

  Ceres leaned over to Minerva. "What did he say?"

  Minerva was still looking at the door that Eros had walked through. "I..." she began. "Oh, never mind."

* * *

  


  The old man sat under a tree. 'I wonder where it could be,' he thought. His eyes searched the barren land, looking for life. Beyond a few green sprouts, there was nothing. Sighing, he closed his eyes, wishing there was someway he could fix this without what he was searching for. Nodding off, he found himself walking through the land of dreams. He was surrounded by lush gardens, filled with roses and daffodils. White buildings dotted the landscape, and he thought them similar to those erected so long ago. Wandering down a path, he soon came upon a small altar, at which two young maidens were praying.

  Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned and saw a young man with white hair and a horn growing out of his forehead.

  "Welcome," the young man said. "I am Elios, and this is Elysion."

  "Elysion," the old man sighed. "I had almost forgotten this place existed."

  Elios led the man away from the altar over to a bench. "Please, I need to tell you something, but you will not be able to stay here for long."

  Nodding, the old man sat and turned to his companion.

  "I know of what you seek, but it is no longer here. It resides within the one that protects this planet. You must find him and awaken what you seek."

  The old man frowned. "How...? I must find it within this planet's protector. Why is it not here?"

  "When Elysion was cleansed, its power came from several people. Elysion itself realized that all it needed was the power of people's dreams, and not the precious stone that had protected it before. Even in this time of grief on this planet, people still have beautiful dreams, and that is what sustains it."

  Elysion flickered and Elios rose. "There is not much time left, but I must ask you to also seek the one who controls fire and metal. If you can find that person, the circle will be complete."

  Waking up, the old man found it was dark outside. 'The one who controls fire and metal. Could it be...?'

* * *

  


  Venus had declared that they might as well head for Jupiter if they were going to go any further. Mercury had a fit, since he didn't want to face the god that ruled Olympus. (It might have been related to that unfortunate incident at the beginning of humanity he had pulled a fast one on Jupiter.) Mithra and Janus had been arguing, and had missed everything so far. They had been trying to see who knew the most things about the ThreeLights, while Demeter held her head in her hands, trying to hold off the headache that threatened at their fight.

  Ceres, Vesta, and Minerva sat off to one side.

  Sighing, Minerva put her chin in her hand and elbow on her knee. "I wish they would shut up."

  Vesta agreed. "Their giving me more of a headache than Minako ever did."

  Ceres laughed. "No, I think it was the fan club that topped her."

  Vesta burst out in laughter, while Minerva continued watching the others. She had no clue what was going on, and she wasn't going to try to figure it out. All she wanted was a vacation, preferably one involving a roller coaster and corn dogs.

  Venus finally won over Mercury, defeating him in an arm wrestling contest. "Ok, troops, it's Jupiter."

* * *

  


  Inside the great castle on Jupiter, there stands one guard. Now this guard had been there for thousands of years, and he was bored. In other words, so bored he had counted every single hair on his body--twice. As he stood there, wondering why nothing ever happened, there was a loud bang and a cry of "itai!"

  There was another loud bang and another cry. "That's gotta hurt."

  The guard could tell that a woman had just spoken. A woman? Woo hoo! Jupiter had heard his wished even in his 'sleep!'

  Rushing outside, he stopped and stared at the motley collection of gods and goddesses hanging out of trees and sprawled around the garden.

  "Geez, Venus," yelled one. "Couldn't you have picked a softer place to land? Maybe like a bed?"

  The guard walked up to the nearest woman, who happened to be Vesta. "Jupiter be praised," he cried, and hugged her.

  Big mistake.

  Vesta started to glow and the guard stepped back. "Um, miss? I'm...I'm terribly sorry..."

  "SORRY?!"

  "Uh oh," the guard said as he tried to run back into the palace. There was a brilliant flash of light, and the others saw that Vesta had turned the guard into a small pig.

  Minerva laughed. "I guess he really is a pig." She eeped and hid behind Ceres as Vesta turned and glared at her.

  The group walked towards the door, nobody noticing that Juno was slowing down with each step. 'I don't wanna be here. I don't wanna be here,' she thought over and over.

  Janus noticed her lagging, and waited for her to catch up to him. "Hey," he said. "What's the matter?"

  Juno sighed. How could she tell him that she didn't want to see Jupiter? Before he had gone to sleep, they had parted, but not on the best of terms. Through the mortal lives that she had lived, she had seen more of what he had been trying to protect. She didn't want to tell him that he was actually right, since a woman is always right, ne?

  "Hello, anybody in there?"

  Juno let out a small giggle at this. Looking over at Janus, she saw him smiling at her. "I don't know what to expect when Jupiter wakes up."

  "Ah," Janus said. "I understand. But think of this, Jupiter has always been one to protect what others have sought to destroy. How many times have others tried to destroy humanity? He sees himself as a leader of both the gods and mortals, and besides..." He dropped down to a whisper. "He'd run out of pretty ladies to chase." This made Juno laugh and feel a little better. Janus grabbed her hand. "Let's say we catch up to the others, shall we?"

* * *

  


  They found the group standing in a large foyer that covered in plants.

  "I can see why Makoto always liked plants," Mithra said, laughing. Demeter looked at him for a second before recalling her interest in the gardening club. She smiled at him. "Mithra, you were on Earth?" she asked.

  He nodded. "I never met you in person, but I always heard stories about you from Usagi and her friends. I am also known as Motoki." He sighed. "I wonder how they are doing."

  "We'll make it alright," Demeter told him. "Usagi was always there for us in the battle against Galaxia, and we will be there for her in her time of need."

  Vesta came over to them. "Come on, we're going in," she said. "Let's get moving!"

  Demeter laughed. "Watch out, you are starting to act like Aino-san on her bad days."

  Gasping, Vesta clutched her hand to her throat. "I am not."

  "Yes you are, and that's final," Venus said coming up to the group. "Come on!"

  Now Demeter saw where the ditziness came from.

  They entered a long hallway covered in more plants. There were windows along it, but they knew there were rooms, though the doors were hidden. Deciding to split up to make it quicker, they quickly searched for Jupiter.

  Juno went down the hallway. Somehow, she knew that he would be at the end. Janus saw her take off, and decided to follow her.

  At the end of the hallway were doors similar to the ones that had guarded Mercury. These doors, however, had no lock on them. This was deceptive, for if one did not have permission, they would be punished for trying to enter. Just because a door is unlocked does not mean that it is open to everybody.

  Juno paused at the doors, thinking back about the arguments she had had with Jupiter. Shaking off those thoughts, she took a deep breath and put her hands on the door. She didn't try to open them, but put her palms on the surface. "Jupiter," she whispered. "Please forgive my faults."

  Janus came up to the door as well, standing beside her. He held out his hand as well, hoping that he wouldn't be sent who knows where. Realizing that he still stood next to Juno, he also offered up a prayer. "Jupiter, king of the gods and mortals, alike, please help us in our time of need. Please forgive Juno, for she has learned the value of life." He stopped and continued the prayer silently. 'Please, I would like her to stay in mine.'

  The doors started to shake and the slowly opened in. Walking through, Juno and Janus went over to the huge bed. Seeing nothing there, they looked around the room.

  Juno gasped, for Jupiter was sitting in a chair, reading a book.

  Putting a leaf to mark his place, Jupiter set down the book and rose. "My dear Juno...and Janus! What a surprise!" His face was wreathed in a smile and he didn't look like the same god who had destroyed countless civilizations because of their greed. This couldn't be the same man who had sent his own father to Tartarus.

  Jupiter laughed at the puzzlement on their faces. "I have learned the art of relaxing," he said. "And also the art of laughing. I have learned some things while I have been here, Juno. I believe that we were both wrong about humans."

  Janus nodded. He liked the way this was going. As the god of beginnings, he liked fresh starts.

  Jupiter walked over to the window. "I saw my poor guard. I don't think he'll try that again." He laughed once more before walking back to Juno and Janus. "Well, I'm all set." With that, he went out and stopped in the hallway. The others had gathered at the end, not finding anything. Venus looked up and saw Jupiter. "What...?"

  The others looked up and were in shock. Jupiter--smiling?

  Jupiter slapped his hands together and rubbed them for a couple of seconds. "Well, who's next?"


	5. Chapter 5: Mischief

The Return

Chapter 5:  Mischief

by Richan

  Beryl stared at her beautiful collection. She had all of the sailor senshi trapped in those dark boxes. She caressed the one that held Usagi. Laughing, she left the room, never noticing the cracks around the bottom of the box that held the senshi. Walking down the hallway of the castle she had taken, she stopped at a window. Beryl gave a contented sigh as she saw the wasteland the Earth had become.

  Finally, she was the true Queen of the Earth. There was no Metallia, and no generals, either, to ruin her enjoyment. About to head to her chambers, she felt a presence nearby. Looking to her right, she saw a dark shadow.

  "Aa, Beryl," came an eerie voice. "I believe that you have used the power I gave you well."

  Beryl felt a chill run up her spine. The creature that stood before her was far more powerful than Metallia had ever hoped to be. She started to wonder if she was in over head, before thinking that she had control over what she had sought for so long.

  Nodding, Beryl went towards the dark figure. "I believe that the Sailors won't be bothering us again, and that your enemies are buried under the ice that covers Tokyo."

  The figure shifted slightly, the lines fading. "I will be counting on you to keep watch, then, Beryl."

  As the figure disappeared, Beryl turned and headed to her room.

* * *

  


  Outside the windows, Anteros hovered. He had been coming to report to Beryl that Venus had escaped the trap that he had rigged. When he saw the figure appear, he had hesitated. Now he was worried. He had figured that by keeping Venus trapped, he had been able to get in on Beryl's good side, thus better enabling him to spread his power over those humans left on the Earth. However, that figure scared him more than he liked to admit, and he was having second thoughts. That figure seemed familiar, and the power surrounding it was bad.

  Anteros looked out on the Earth. Even in his wildest dreams of ruling Olympus and the Earth were never like this. There was nothing green, and the only thing moving was the brusk wind. If this was what this planet had become, what would become of his home, he wondered. Shaking his head, he headed back to Venus.

  Arriving at Venus, he made his way over to the castle that his brother guarded.

  "Eros," he called through the front door.

  Eros opened the door, hesitant about letting Anteros in. Looking at his face, Eros was decided.

  "Come in. I see that you have news."

  With that, the two entered the castle.

* * *

  


  The largest planet in the system of Earth was filled with mayhem. There was an argument similar to the one that had happened on Venus, but only the brave argue with the king of the gods. Venus had no compunction about arguing with her father, nor did Minerva. These brave goddesses were always willing to side with each other against their father and disagree about everything else. Ceres stood to the side listening to the 'discussion' and shook her head every so often.

  Demeter and Vesta were sitting on a bench on the edge of the garden, Vesta on the lookout for the guard.

  "Do you notice something different about Ceres," asked Demeter.

  "What? What's different," Vesta wanted to know. "That she's willing to listen to anything Jupiter has to say?"

  Demeter shook her head. "That she's letting someone else do the arguing. Watch," she said. Looking over at Ceres, they saw that she was nodding along with whatever Minerva was saying. "I think something happened on Venus when they fought Anteros."

  Vesta looked at her again before turning back to Demeter. "Even Seiya wasn't this bad with Usagi. Minerva can't weave love spells, can she?"

  The two looked at each other for a couple of seconds. "Nah..." they said in unison.

  Across the garden, Mithra watched Juno and Janus wander through the roses. They were carrying on a conversation in low voices, and he couldn't make out the words. Even though Juno was the queen of the gods, he was still attached to Unazumi, his mortal sister. While he was happy that Juno no longer had a scared look on her face, he wanted to pull an 'older brother' act and separate the two. Deciding that he wouldn't be able to hear anything, he went over to the group that was arguing.

  "I say that we should get Mars," Minerva was saying. "His hot temper will go well with Pluto's sense of humor." The others looked at her strangely, wondering if she had lost her mind. Suddenly she started laughing.

  "Oh that was so good," she said loudly, still laughing. Venus and Ceres started laughing as well, Mithra joining in.

  Jupiter was not amused. "Daughter, thou hast a terrible humor if thee thinkest that Pluto has a sense of humor."

  Venus tried to stop giggling, but found she couldn't. She started to speak but had to catch her breath as she broke out into laughter again. "Minerva, you shouldn't say things like that! Father and Pluto have always been poker buddies forever, it seems. Like either one has a sense of humor."

  The others slowly joined the group as their laughter died. Juno went over to Jupiter and touched his arm lightly. "I believe that you had best give up this argument before you lose everything."

  Jupiter fumed lightly before remembering the books that he had read over the last several hundred years. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he calmed down. "We still haven't decided where we are going next."

  Vesta spoke up. "It will be faster if we split up into three groups."

  Demeter agreed. "We need to wake the others up as soon as possible or there will be no Earth left to protect."

  "I'm with Juno," Janus said. He mentally cringed when Jupiter looked over at him. He relaxed when he saw the hint of a smile on the god's face.

  "I'll go with them," Mithra added. Janus really cringed, since he had a feeling why Mithra was joining them. Mercury nodded, joining as well.

  Venus stood beside Minerva and Ceres. "I'll go with these two."

  Minerva and Ceres looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

  Demeter looked at Jupiter. "Then I guess that we are the third group, Jupiter."

  Vesta was not happy. The king of flirts was joining her group, and Ceres was in another. She felt the trio that had been her mortal life was beginning to crack. There was a soft hand on her shoulder, and she looked up into Demeter's purple eyes. "I'm worried about her as well, Vesta."

  The groups decided, they needed to figure out who would go where.

  "I'm not going to wake up Mars," Minerva said. Remembering her breaking out into warrior mode, Ceres agreed.

  "Uranus," she said.

  Venus pouted. She had wanted to flirt with Mars, but Uranus was an old man who wasn't flirtable. Outnumbered by the others, however, she had to go along with it, especially since she had said she would go with them. She did look forward to teasing her sister, though, and that would make this trip worthwhile.

  Mithra spoke up. "We are going to go to Mars, then." He looked at Juno, Janus, and Mercury to see if they agreed. All three nodded their heads.

  "Then we will go to Pluto," Jupiter said.

  Vesta sighed. 'Great,' she thought, 'two really cranky guys who think that they are THE best in all of the universe.' She saw a similar expression on Demeter's face and giggled mentally. 'Well, at least I'm not alone in this.'

* * *

  


  Speeding towards Uranus, Venus looked at her two companions. 'I shouldn't have picked these two,' she thought. 'I could have at least picked Mithra or Ja...Mithra. I can't flirt with these two.' Looking over at Minerva and Ceres again, she noticed that they wouldn't quite meet the others' eyes.

  'Aha! Anteros shot them with one of his lust arrows, and now they're embarrassed.'

  She thought back to the defeat of her younger son and sighed. 'My sister is powerful, but Anteros should have more sense to get into such trouble.' Thinking, she couldn't understand why her son had turned so suddenly. Especially since the Earth...

  "That's it," Venus said softly.

  "What? What's it," Minerva asked, confused.

  Ceres looked over at Venus. "What are you thinking about?"

  Venus nodded her head, as if in agreement. "I think I know part of what's going on."

  Minerva and Ceres were surprised.

  "What?"

  "Anteros was keeping Eros and myself in one castle while he had that fake one, right?" Minerva and Ceres nodded. "And he shot you with one of his arrows when you got too close, right?" They nodded again, with blushes staining their cheeks. "He was keeping me from being freed," she said triumphantly, raising her fist into the air.

  "Excuse me," Minerva said, getting agitated. "When did you figure this out?"

  Ceres put her hand on Minerva's shoulder, as Venus watched her sister calm down at the touch. 'This is something I'm going to have keep watching,' she thought. 'I might have to apply some of my magic touch to this friendship.'

  Looking at Minerva and Ceres, she explained that Anteros, who would leave every so often, had kept her in the palace but neither she nor Eros could figure out where he went. The only thing that puzzled her was that this happened just before the Earth was essentially destroyed. She stopped when she heard a heavy sigh.

  She and Ceres looked at Minerva in question, but she was deep in thought. Coming up on Uranus, they switched their attention to the planet searching for the nearest place to land to the castle.

  They set off for the castle, Minerva lagging behind, still in thought. As they approached the doors, she stopped. "It's all connected," she muttered to herself.

  This caught up Venus and Ceres. They looked at Minerva, waiting for her to continue.

  "This is all connected," Minerva announced. "And I think that it has something to do with the woman that took over the Earth."

  Ceres and Venus were shocked, but they were even more so when Minerva continued, "Somebody has given her the power of a god."

* * *

  


  Beryl sat on the old throne that she had used in the Dark Kingdom. She gazed at the objects before her. The three glass boxes where of different sizes, but that didn't matter. What really mattered were the contents.

  Gloating, she didn't notice the large crack running along the floor of the largest, or the faint glow within it. Beryl was too busy thinking of her victory as she slowly sipped from her wine glass.

  Looking at them one last time, she headed for the surface and her palace there. She had been on the lookout for Anteros for a couple of days. He had missed his assigned time to report the mission that she had given him. Well, the entity that had given her her powers had given. Shrugging her shoulders lightly, she continued her way to the throne room.

  Stopping inside the door, she noticed that somebody was sitting in her throne. Clothed in black, the figure stood up and walked towards her.

  "Mischief," Beryl said. "What have I told you about staying out of here?"

  The eternally young girl shook her black hair. "To stay out of it, I know, but there's just something about it that pulls me in."

  Beryl actually sighed. 'This could take awhile.'

* * *

  


  Mithra stood on the surface of Mars. Before him was a large house, not enough to rate it a second glance if it had been in Tokyo. On the planet of Mars, however, it stuck out like a black thumb in a flower shop. Surrounded by red sand dunes on all sides, it was dark and there was no movement.

  Turning around, he glanced at the other three. They were looking up at the house when Juno gasped. Pointing up at one of the windows on the second floor, her eyes opened wide. The three men followed her finger and saw a shadow at the window.

  The figure in the window looked at them before turning around. As it disappeared, the four standing below were stunned.

  "That's not Mars," Janus began. "Is it?"

  "No," Juno said.

  Mithra shook his head. "That was definitely not Mars, unless he grew wings."

  "I'd say that wasn't him," Mercury agreed.

  The door opened on the house, and the figure stepped out and stopped.

  They all looked up and saw Anteros standing there, looking a little confused. "Aren't there more of you?"

  Mithra shook his head again. "Yes."

  "Why aren't they with you? And where's my mother?" Anteros asked.

  "She is waking up Uranus," Juno began defensively. "And it'll be too late to stop her by the time you get there."

  Anteros sighed. When he had decided that he would, reluctantly, tell the others what was happening on the Earth, he knew that it would be difficult, but he certainly wasn't expecting this much hassle. He raised his heads in supplication.

  "I know that I treated you horribly when you came to gather up Venus, but I beseech you to listen to me."

  Janus thought for a couple of seconds, before saying warily, "No tricks, ok?"

  Anteros nodded his head, and began walking towards them. As he did, there was a bright streak in the sky. He stopped and, motioning the others into the house, went back in the open doors. "I smell trouble."

  Mercury stopped inside the door, finding that the small entryway opened into a living room. He went and looked out the window. "More like some Mischief," he said.

  "What," Janus asked. "How...?"

  Anteros led them down into the basement, opening up a trap door lying in the floor. Holding it up, he followed the others down into the large room that was before them. In the middle stood Mars, his feet wide apart and arms crossed. At the sound of the others entering, he turned, showing that he was wearing a scowl.

  "Juno, Janus, Mithra, Mercury," he nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to the screen he had been looking at. "I had been following the events happening on Earth, and when Anteros showed up, I figured it wouldn't be long before others showed up."

  Janus went over and looked at the screen that Mars was watching. He inhaled sharply at what was before him. The Earth had become barren, and as the picture changed, the scene did not. They finally came upon some humans, but they were living in wretched conditions, in which animals would have hard times. He looked up at Mars. "How did you happen to be awake?"

  "I felt the destruction on that planet. With it, I felt a shift in the balance of human energies. They began looking for life, while before there was always somebody in search of a war. That destruction," he pointed to the screen, "was not meant to happen unless it was in the name of war."

  "Or peace," Juno said softly.

  Mars nodded. "What has happened is someone interfering with the work of the gods. Anteros confirmed what I was already thinking. Some creature has given the woman that did this the power of a god."

  Mithra looked at the screen sadly. 'So much destruction,' he thought. 'How will the world ever recover from this?'

  Janus and Juno came over, with Mercury and Anteros close behind. All three looked at the screen in shock, even Anteros who had already seen some.

  "This is even more than when I was there so recently," Anteros began. Seeing that he had the others' attentions, he continued. "I was given the mission to keep my mother on Venus for as long as eternity or the destruction of the universe. However, when Minerva and you showed up, you were able to defeat me, the nodcock I am, and I was left to return to Earth to report." Here he shook his head, whether in defeat or self-pity the others didn't know. Raising his head again, he went on.

  "At the castle where I was to meet with Queen Beryl, I saw her in conversation with a strange being. It was almost as if it were surrounded by darkness itself. Rather than using a voice, it almost transmitted its thoughts through the air.

  "Now I knew that Beryl hadn't been the one who had given me my orders, but this creature. All of a sudden, I knew that I had been duped into keeping Venus and Eros hostage. I stayed until the end of the conversation, and when the being left, I followed Beryl down below the surface. Making sure I was hidden, I saw her speak to Mischief. Knowing that we were in serious trouble if that little girl was involved, I stayed longer to gather more information. Beryl kept on going down, reaching an old castle. She stood before three glass boxes for a while, then headed back to the surface. When she left, I peered in, and..."

  Here he drifted off, almost in agony.

  Mars took over for him. "She captured the Sailor Senshi that have guarded the galaxy since we Guardians went to sleep. I think that awakened some of us from our slumber, like Venus and myself." They all looked at Anteros, who nodded. "With their imprisonment, Beryl was able to overtake the planet. I am not happy with this, since Sailor Moon had destroyed her once. Something brought her back for purposes not yet revealed."

  Mithra looked at the floor before raising his eyes to his companions. "With this information, we should get a hold of the others. I have a feeling that...that the Erinyes are involved."

  The others gasped in shock.

  "The Furies?" Juno asked in a tiny voice.

  "Impossible," Mercury began. "Not even they have this kind of power."

  Janus agreed. "I think that they are the pawns of whomever gave this Beryl power."

  Anteros nodded his head. "I agree. Even at their greatest, they wouldn't have been able to pull this off. Besides they never separate, and I only saw one being."

  Suddenly there was a faint knock on the front door. Falling silent, the group listened as it opened and there were light footsteps. "Hello? Anybody home?" asked a little girl.

  "We're in trouble now," whispered Janus. Everybody nodded their heads, willing the most troublesome goddess ever known to leave. 

  They weren't in luck as they heard the trap door open and they saw a figure walk down the stairs. "Oh, you were waiting for me, weren't you," she said sarcastically. "Is this a private party, or can I join?"

  Mars went up to her and grabbed her arms tightly. "Private, but I believe you are the guest of honor." He dragged her over to a screen and pointed out what was happening on it.

  Mischief squealed, and became engrossed in what was showing.

  "What," Mithra began to ask when he stopped. He saw Mars had grabbed some rope and went over to Mischief to distract her some more. "My dear Mischief," he began. "I believe that I have a joke I would like to play, and you're the perfect person to ask."

  She brightened, and looked up at Mithra, who smirked. Behind Mischief, the others had amassed and assembled a nifty holding device made just for her.

  "Yes," he went on. "I do think that only you could pull this off."

  The others pounced at this point, and several seconds Mischief was tied up tight. She struggled against the bindings, but they were too strong for her to overcome.

  "Think that this will hold her?" asked Anteros.

  Janus nodded. "This held Juno for at least three days before she got out of it, and you know how smart she is."

  Mars nodded his head slowly. "Unfortunately, yes I do."

  Juno walked up to Mischief, who cowered before the queen of the gods. "I believe that you have some information to share, young lady?"

  The young girl looked at Juno, then those behind her, before nodding shallowly and gulping. "Uh...I...um," she began a little breathless. "Could you loosen these ropes?"

  Everybody shook their heads, indicating that she wasn't going anywhere soon.

  "Well," she yelled, "I ain't going to tell!"

  "Mars," Juno said, sweeping her hand to Mischief. "I believe this one is yours."

  Mischief's eyes widened and fear crept in. "Wait, wait! I do have something."

  The others waited patiently, but their faces were stoic masks, gave her an indication that no amount of procrastination would put them off the trail now. "Uh, the Erinyes are driving Beryl's rage."

  "And...?" Mercury stared at her.

  "And...and Beryl is afraid of something in those glass boxes. Did you know that one is cracked?"

  "And...?" Mars looked threateningly.

  "And...she's also afraid of whoever gave her power, but I don't know who it is," she said fast. The others saw the pleading in her eyes, and understood that she really didn't know.

  "Very well," Janus said. "I believe that you are telling the truth. However, we must leave you where you can't cause trouble." He turned to Mars. "Do you know a place here where she can't mess with your things?"

  Mars nodded, and, hefting Mischief, bindings and all, went up the stairs. Following, they saw that he had headed towards a shed behind the house. Opening the door, he put the young, screaming girl in and shut the door. There was a flourish and ten locks appeared on the door. "I think that takes care of her for awhile, I believe. Should we join the others?"

  Juno shook her head. "I believe that we have something to do on Earth. The others will soon figure out that time is fast running out on that planet."

  Janus nodded. "Soon, there will be no chance of a new beginning."

  "So," Mithra began. "I believe we have a new mission."

  Anteros looked at the Earth, a small dot in the northern sky. Off to the west he could see the bright shine of Venus. "I believe I know of somebody who would like to join us."

  Mercury nodded. "He will probably already be there when we arrive."

  Anteros looked at him, puzzled.

  "He usually knows what you are doing if you feel passionately for it," Mars said. "Especially since he is the god of passion."

  "I...I am the god of passion," Anteros stammered.

  Mercury nodded, but didn't say anything else.

* * *

  


  Jupiter, Demeter, and Vesta landed on Pluto. The land was desolate, and the wind made eerie noises. Jupiter snorted. "How he let this place fall into ruins is what I want to know," he began stiffly.

  "More like, he's a guy, and guys don't know how to keep house," Vesta said, crossing her arms across her chest.

  Demeter laid a hand on her shoulder. "I believe that we had best find Pluto before time runs out for humanity."

  The other two nodded.

  Walking for what seemed forever, with either Jupiter or Vesta complaining about how long it was taking, Demeter sighed, relieved, at the castle that stood before them.

  As they went up to the doors, they opened and an older man came flying out. "Jupiter!"

  "Pluto!"

  "Up for a card game, I see," Pluto began. He stopped when he noticed Demeter and Vesta standing nearby. "Hellooooo, ladies." He stopped again as he saw Vesta glow slightly.

  "I'd stay away from her," whispered Jupiter. He continued out loud, "Besides, we have something to do before any games."

  Demeter went up to Pluto and told him what had been happening so far.

  "What!" he shouted. "All those pretty ladies gone? Damn, I miss going to that planet for the last thousand years and something like this happens." He turned to go back into the castle. "Wait here, and I'll be right back."

  Standing there for a few minutes, Vesta let her temper grow. She could just imagine Pluto hunting for his poker chips and his 'stud' clothes. Even in Olympus he had a reputation for thinking he was a ladies' man. Her temper deflated when he returned, dressed in his royal robes with his staff in hand.

  "I would like to see whoever is behind this stand up to the god of death," he proclaimed regally.

  The other three stepped back, even Jupiter, in awe. 'Since when did Pluto do this,' Jupiter wondered.

  Pluto laughed. "Gee, I guess that doesn't just work on the ladies."

  He was not amused when Vesta blew her top.


	6. Chapter 6: Reunited

The Return

Chapter 6:  Reunited

by Richan

  Venus, Minerva and Ceres stood before the mansion that stood on Uranus. Walking up to the door, they knocked and waited. After ten minutes and no answer, Minerva turned the knob, and the door opened.

  "Should we go in?" Ceres asked.

  "Sure," Venus said. "Besides, it was open, so they can't do anything, right?" As she said this, she went through the door and disappeared with a scream. Peering in, Minerva and Ceres started laughing, because Venus had been caught in a trap and now hung upside down. Her long hair brushed the ground as she screeched her anger at them and whoever had laid the trap.

  An elderly voice called out. "Hello?"

  "Hello," Minerva said. "We'd like to see Uranus, please. Would you be so kind as to let him know?"

  "No need, child," the man said. As he came into the light, all three women saw that it was Uranus himself. He pressed a switch in the wall and Venus dropped onto the floor with a loud crash and a yelp.

  "Itai!"

  "Well, young lady," Uranus began. "It wouldn't have hurt if you hadn't walked in uninvited."

  Ceres spoke up. "We knocked, but no one came."

  "I'm sorry. I did hear you, but I was on the other side of this place and it took me all this time to get here."

  "How," Minerva asked, "did you hear us if you where over there?"

  "That's a secret," the man said slyly and winked.

  She laughed, while the others looked at the two of them as if they had escaped from the zoo. "We would like for you to come with us," she began, "for there is trouble on Earth."

  Uranus nodded. He turned his head and yelled, "Neptune! It's time for us to leave!"

  Ceres snorted, and the others looked at her. "Inside joke," she said, refusing to say more.

  Neptune walked up, an old man, yet younger than Uranus. "Ah, Uranus. I believe that this journey will be pleasureable with three such lovely companions," he began suavely. "Still, I have the feeling that what we arrive at will not be good."

  Uranus nodded. "I have that same feeling as well, Neptune." Nodding at the three goddesses, he signaled to Neptune, and they were off.

* * *

  


  Demeter, Vesta, Jupiter and Pluto headed towards Saturn. Arriving there, they found the remains of a building laying in a heap. There was an air of desertion about the place. Pluto shook his head. "I don't understand. We had a chess match not too long ago, and this place was standing."

  Demeter went over to the rubble and looked at a couple of the pieces. She saw a fine dust on it and gasped. "Look at this dust," she called to the others. Gathering around her, Jupiter, Vesta, and Pluto saw the fine green dust on her fingertips.

  Vesta drew in a sharp breath. "The dust of Alecto."

* * *

  


  Arriving on Earth, Mars, Mercury, Mithra, Janus, Juno, and Anteros stood at the place where Tokyo had once stood. Ruins surrounded a huge castle that reached into the brown sky. There was no life around except for them. There was movement behind them, and they turned, ready for a fight. All of them sighed in relief as they saw it was Eros.

  "I heard you calling, brother," he said.

  Anteros was confused. Eros never called him brother, preferring not to acknowledge him if he could. He shook it off as he lead the others down to where the boxes sat. He really didn't need to lead after awhile, since Mars could feel the senshi who wielded his power. He looked around to make sure that Beryl wasn't around before he led them into the room.

  Entering, all of them stopped, shocked. The three boxes were made of grey glass and clouded. Walking up to them however, they could see that there were people inside. Juno stopped in front of the smallest. "Usagi," she breathed. She put her hand on it, and jumped back in surprise when it cracked.

  As she did this, Mithra had gone over to the next larger box. He could recognize Usagi and Minako's cats and Sailor Uranus, but didn't know who the five men were, though the one in the lavender armor looked familiar. He touched the glass lightly, not knowing how to break it, when it split open.

  The smaller boxes fell apart, revealing their contents. Anteros and Eros stood behind Mithra and gasped. "The legend," Eros said softly. He looked at Mars, who stared at the largest box. As he watched, Mars put his hand up and touched the box, cracking it. Within, there was a bright glow and the box exploded into tiny pieces before dissolving into thin air.

  Mithra and Juno gasped as they saw Rei standing, her forehead glowing with the symbol of Mars. They looked at each other before Mithra said, "I guess they are all special."

  Rei started to slowly spin, wrapped in fire. The gods and Juno came over to watch as the wreath of fire cloaked her in her senshi fuku. As her feet touched the ground, her eyes opened.

  "What?" she began to ask when she saw Usagi laying on the floor. "Princess?!"

  Mars went forward and touched her arm. Sailor Mars whirled around in surprise, ready to yell at the offender, but stopped when she felt the aura surrounding him.

  "Sailor Mars," he began. "I come to give you your final transformation. With this, you will be able to call upon the power of fire to destroy your enemies. Keep in mind that with this destruction there is a heavy price to pay, so use it wisely."

  The others watched in horror as they saw Mars essence dwindle, before disappearing. They stepped back as Sailor Mars glowed a bright red, and they realized what had happened. Mars had literally given this sailor senshi his power, what made him exist. When they could see her again, Sailor Mars' fuku had changed. Her skirt was now white with red and purple ribbons twisting along the hem, and she now wore white knee boots with red trim at the top. Her tiara was replaced with the symbol of Mars, and she had soft wings on her back, not unlike Eternal Sailor Moon's.

  As she stopped glowing, Ami stood up, eyes open, and forehead glowing with the symbol of Mercury. He went over and touched her, leaning over to whisper in her ear. The others couldn't hear what he was saying, but whatever it was, it surprised her. Ami's eyes opened wide and she nodded with a slight jerk, blushing. Mercury put his hand upon her cheek before dropping it too his side. "I thank you, Mizuno Ami, for protecting this planet on behalf of myself. Now I give to you my power, to continue protecting this planet. With your wisdom and my strength, guide this planet back to beauty. This is your final transformation, Sailor Mercury." So saying this, Mercury gave up his 'mortal' body and became his essence, floating over to join Ami as she transformed into Sailor Mercury. Her body glowed as water swirled around her, leaving her in a modified fuku, similar to Sailor Mars'. The symbol of Mercury glowed brightly for a couple seconds more before it too stopped glowing and turned pale blue. The only change that was different in her fuku compared to Sailor Mars was that she had small wings at the ankles of her boots, and her skirt was trimmed in pale and dark blue ribbons.

  Mithra stepped towards the two, who were looking at each other in wonder. "Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, you have awakened from your slumber." He walked over to Sailor Mercury and held out his hand to the others behind him. "We have come to raise you from your slumber, and..." he stopped when a hand smacked him in the back of the head. Juno was on his right, putting her hand down.

  "Don't be so pompus, brother. Since when did you ever speak like that?"

  "Since," he began and paused. "Since...never," he finished sheepishly.

  Sailors Mars and Mercury looked at each other again and laughed.

  Janus came over. "So, you big flirt," he said to Mithra. "Do you know these ladies? Introduce me."

  Juno smacked him one as well. "And you aren't a big flirt as well, Janus?"

  "Janus?" Sailor Mercury asked. "As in the god Janus?"

  He nodded. "It's not like you aren't gods, well, goddesses. Don't be overwhelmed."

  "Goddesses?" Sailor Mars asked.

  Eros came up to them and took both of their hands. "Try not to get stuck on that. The gods that look over the planets you protect have given you their power, their essence, thus making you one of the gods. I warn you now, that sometimes even the protection of a god will not keep you from harm."

  Anteros went to stand by his brother. "Even we have all fallen at one point or another into harm's way."

  Eros poked him in the ribs with his elbow. "Especially this rogue here."

  "What about the others?" Sailor Mercury looked at the others who were laying there in eternal sleep.

  "We can awaken them, but we cannot give them our protection. Only their guardian can do that," Mithra explained. He walked over to where Endymion lay and looked at the two Sailor Senshi. "This is Mamoru, isn't he?"

  Both of them gasped when they saw the change in his armor. "It is, though now he is Endymion," Sailor Mars said.

  Sailor Mercury nodded. "He is also Tuxedo Mask."

  Anteros went over to Endymion and touched him. "Eros, please touch the one who lays by herself." Eros went and did so, knowing that the two were two parts of a whole, like his brother and himself.

  The others watched in wonder as the two men closed their eyes. Soon, they were enveloped in a soft glow that spread to those they were touching. When the glow faded, the two gods sat down on the floor, exhausted. It had worked, however, and Usagi woke up, soon followed by Endymion, who changed back into Mamoru. Each looked at the room, and when they saw each other, Usagi got up and stumbled across the room. "Mamo-chan!"

  Juno sniffed. "Beautiful." Janus patted her on the back, comforting her.

  "As the goddess of marriage, I can see why you would think this beautiful," he said, before dropping down to a whisper, "but you are the most beautiful thing in this universe."

  Juno blushed, and Mithra started to walk over to them, determined to pull those two apart. He stopped when he felt a tug behind him. He looked around, but saw no one there. Glancing back even further, he saw the four men and the two cats past Mamoru and Usagi. He walked up to the one with white hair, and reached down to touch him. When he did, he felt a shock run through him and he noticed that he began to glow.

  Juno stepped forward, trying to reach Mithra when she saw him start to glow. She was almost there when the glowing stopped and he collapsed, revealing his human form. "Motoki-ni-chan!" She dropped to her knees and touched him. As she did, she started to glow as well.

  Janus raced forward and knelt down beside the two, wondering what to do. He thought that he should touch him, but so far, anybody who had glowed had problems. Taking a deep breath, he reached out to touch Juno, who was fading fast.

  As the glow surrounding the three faded, another started behind the group. The group that had just left Uranus had landed, with Venus and Minerva arguing. Their argument halted when they saw the human forms of Mithra, Juno, and Janus in a heap next to four men and two cats.

  "Janus," yelled Minerva. She rushed over and stood next to them. "Suru." She touched her hand to his cheek and was enveloped as well in a soft glow.

  Sailors Mars and Mercury were in a state of confusion. They could feel tremendous power from these people, but they were giving it to their companions. Sailor Mars had started to freak when she saw the four generals next to Endymion, but after Mamoru had been awakened, she had settled down, seeing that he was more concerned for Usagi that the four behind him. She had also noticed that Sailor Uranus was with them, and Luna and Artemis were draped over Nephrite and Jadeite. She looked over to see Sailor Mercury had gotten out her computer and was entering something in. She looked over at the guardians and went into shock. "Mercury," she hissed, pulling her attention from her computer.

  Motoki, Unazumi, and two strangers were lying in a heap next to the generals, who were sitting up, and the two cats that were stretching. Nephrite stood up woozily and put his head up to his head. "Did somebody get the number of that truck?"

  Jadeite looked around, trying to get his bearings. He looked down at the people at his feet in wonder. He didn't recognize them, but they felt familiar to him. He looked over and saw Kunzite and Zoicite standing up and looking over at a bunch of people across the room. As he searched, he saw Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars looking back at him. He jumped up and hurried over to them, kneeling in front of Sailor Mars. "Please forgive me, Sailor Senshi," he said softly.

  The two sailors looked bewildered, and Venus went over to them. "Rise, brave warrior. They are your equals, so stand tall before them," she said. She put her hand under his chin to look into his eyes and smiled down at him. He returned her smile as he stood.

  "Is he a god as well?" Sailor Mercury looked at Venus, who was startled.

  "A god? You mean..." she broke off and looked over those that had yet to awaken. As she saw Minako lying there, she sighed. "I knew that this day would come, but I didn't think that I would be so unprepared."

  She walked over to Minako and bent down, touching one finger to her forehead. The symbol of Venus glowed softly, and the goddess sighed. She looked up and saw her sons looking at her. She smiled sadly, then looked down at her champion.

  Eros and Anteros tried to stand and get to their mother when they saw that smile. They realized that she was going to give her power to this young woman. "No," they shouted, almost in unison. "Mother!"

  As those who were awaked watched, Venus woke up the senshi that held her power. Closing her eyes, she let herself free from the body that she had created and drifted over and into Minako. Minako glowed softly in a pale orange light, when there was a sudden burst of energy about her, and she was cloaked in her new fuku, the skirt trimmed in yellow and orange. 

  She stepped forward to reach Sailor Mercury, and there was a bright blast of light.

  "We're here," Jupiter boasted.

* * *

  


  Demeter looked over and saw Ceres standing by herself, staring at something across the room. Looking over at the same place, she saw four men in varying uniforms standing behind Mamoru and Usagi, with four people in a heap in front of them. Mamoru and Usagi were looking at the four in the heap as well.

  "Where's Saturn?" asked Uranus, as he searched for his senshi.

  There was no answer to his question and he looked over at Jupiter and Pluto. They were shaking their heads.

  "His castle was in ruins," Jupiter began. "It was covered in the dust of Alectos."

  Neptune gasped. "What?!"

  "This is bad," Uranus said. Finally spotting his senshi in the back of the room, he went forward. Before reaching her, however, he stopped before the four still lying in a heap. As he bent down, Neptune came over to him and both looked at the group. 

  "They'll wake up soon," Neptune said. He then went over to where Michiru lay in the middle of the senshi. He lifted her out of the group without physically touching her, sheathing her in a circle of water. As she transformed into her fuku, she opened her eyes. Knowing that it was the guardian of the same planet that she protected, she looked down. He smiled up at her and brought her down before him.

  He looked back at Uranus, who had lifted Sailor Uranus up and held her in his arms. Turning back to Sailor Neptune he spoke just soft enough so only she could hear. "My dear, I give to you my power. With this power, I send to you my love as well, for I know that you will protect it well." He took her hand and led her over to Uranus and linked her hand with Sailor Uranus'. Both of the gods linked their hands as well. "Uranus and Neptune have been linked throughout history, and will continue to do so. Sailor Uranus, guard the sky against evils that threaten it. Sailor Neptune, guide the sea through the storms that may arise. Together, the sky and sea form a whole, like the two of you do, and the two of us. Protect each other, and peace will reign." As they finished speaking, the two gods dissipated into thin air. The two senshi glowed, and their fukus changed into those not unlike Sailors Mars, Mercury, and Venus. 

  Sailor Neptune held a long staff in her right hand with three tines on top. She searched for her mirror, but couldn't find it. "My mirror," she cried.

  "You don't need it anymore," Pluto said, walking over to the two. "The mirror really belongs to Venus, and she has joined with her champion." He nodded towards Sailor Venus, who was looking a little bewildered at everything. In her hand was a golden mirror formed in the symbol of Venus. He glanced down at the group still locked in eternal sleep. "My time has come," he said softly. He looked up at Jupiter as he came over. "Well, old friend, I guess we'll have to play that game later."

  Jupiter nodded. He walked over to Makoto and touched her forehead, lighting up his symbol. "My child," he whispered. "It is time to awaken as the protector of Jupiter."

  Makoto looked up into sad green eyes, so similar to hers. A tear formed in her eyes as she realized who was before her. "Jupiter," she breathed.

  He shook his head. "Don't worry, my child. I have come to give to you your final transformation. With this goes my hope for all of humanity. May you use this power well, for with it goes the power to destroy. Guide humanity towards peace and may you live well." He kissed her forehead and they were engulfed in lightening.

  The lightening faded, revealing Sailor Jupiter in her new fuku, holding onto a staff in the shape of lightening. "Jupiter," she said in a sad, soft voice, looking at the ground. Raising her head, she saw the other Sailor Senshi starting to gather around Usagi and Mamoru, who had been silently watching the recent events. She went forward and joined the group, standing next to Nephrite, who smiled shyly at her.

  All of them looked at Pluto, who stood still. He was looking at the three who were still in eternal sleep. 'This beautiful child,' he thought sadly. 'This beautiful child is my champion, and I must give her the power to destroy the universe. Such a one should reign over life, not death as I have since the beginning of Olympus. Hades is not a place for her.' Knowing he couldn't change this, he bent down and patted Hotaru on the cheek, surprising the others.

  Demeter, Vesta, and Ceres stood in their corner, wondering what to do. When they saw Pluto reach for Hotaru, they knew what was going on. Looking up, they saw the confusion on the others' faces, for they couldn't know that Pluto was actually the god of death, not Saturn. Somehow the senshi for the two planets had been mixed up when the great guardians had laid to rest.

  Demeter walked over to Sailor Mercury, who had her computer out, but wasn't doing anything with it. "Mercury," she said. "Is this a puzzle to you?"

  A nod was her reply.

  "Pluto is the god of death," Vesta said, coming over to the group. "It is he that rules death, and that is Sailor Saturn's power, is it not?"

  Usagi nodded her head slightly, still a little confused by these new people. "Who are you?" she asked a little timidly.

  "Friends," answered Ceres. He joined the group and turned back to Pluto and Hotaru as darkness flowed around them. Out of the darkness there was a brilliant flash of purple light, breaking up the darkness. Left behind was Sailor Saturn in her final transformation. Her glaive was a little different from before, for now it had a circle in the handle, just below the blade at eye level. They noticed that she had grown as well, to the age of the others. Her wings, though, were pitch black, like the darkest of nights.

  Walking over to her princess, she bowed slightly. "We must leave this place, Princess. There are enemies approaching."

  There was a moan from the pile in front of them. Motoki sat up, clutching his head. "Remind me not to do that again."

  The other three started to move, pushing Motoki back down on the ground. 

  "Itai!"

  "Sheesh, Suru, you didn't have to push him that hard to stand up," yelled Unazumi, glaring at the man with long black hair.

  The woman with the braid stood up, and held out a hand for Motoki. Helping him up, she turned to the others who were looking at them with surprise. "We have to get out of here, now." So saying, there was a bright light and she was gone, along with Setsuna and Shingo.

  This woke up Demeter, Vesta, and Ceres, and they were gone as well, taking the generals, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Venus. Luna and Artemis blinked, and jumped up onto Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars' shoulders. They were there for a couple of seconds before all four had disappeared with the strange young man.

  Unazumi smiled. She went over to Usagi, who was looking frightened at her friends who had disappeared, and Mamoru, who was trying to comfort her. "Don't worry, Usagi-chan," she said. There was a flash of light and they were gone.

  Motoki looked at Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune and sighed. "Ladies," he began. "I believe that I am your ride." The two looked surprised and they felt an arm wrap around their waists and there was a blinding flash. Eros and Anteros looked at each other, and then Sailor Saturn. Staring at each other, Eros won the contest and grabbed Saturn, leaving Anteros to look about the empty room before he left as well.

  There was an echo as the door opened and Beryl walked into the room. She had her head turned to face the person she was talking to, and didn't notice that her 'art' had vanished. She turned to look at her collection, and was stunned to find it missing.

  "NNNNNOOOOOOO!"

* * *

  


  Sailor Saturn woke up to find herself in a stranger's arms. She glanced up at the stranger's face and found him smiling. His face looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She felt as if she had stepped into a movie in the middle of the plot.

  "Don't worry, Saturn," he said. "We are almost there." As he said this, they landed softly next to the others. 

  Demeter looked over to find Mercury typing on her computer. "You don't need this right now," she said as she reached over to shut the computer off. Mercury looked up at her, finding the goddess smiling at her. Blushing, Mercury looked over at Nephrite and Jadeite. Sliding her eyes from them, she saw her princess on the ground.

  Uranus and Neptune woke up in Mithra's arms and hurried over to their princess, who held Shingo's head on her lap. Jupiter and Mars were a little dazed as they let the cats down on to the ground. Venus stood next to Vesta, Kunzite, and Zoicite, trying to figure out what was going on.

  "Shingo," she sobbed quietly. Mamoru sat beside her holding one of her hands in both of his.

  Ceres came up to the three and said something that Uranus and Neptune couldn't hear. Usagi and Mamoru looked up at her with puzzled expressions on their faces for a second, before it was replaced by joy on Usagi's and calm on Mamoru's.

  Ceres straightened and went over to Demeter and Vesta as the senshi gathered around Usagi, Mamoru, and Shingo. "It's time." She then went over to Minerva, who still looked a little shaky from earlier. "Don't use more energy than you need to, Minerva," she said softly.

  Minerva looked up into the bold, blue eyes and relaxed. "I will if you will," she countered. Nodding her head, Ceres looked over at Usagi, who nodded her head.

  The senshi watched in amazement as the ThreeLights, Motoki, Unazumi, and the man and woman from before stood in front of them.

  "Seiya!" yelled Sailor Jupiter.

  "Taiki," Sailor Mercury said shyly, while Mars shouted his name.

  "Yaten!" Sailor Venus smiled broadly, before glomping onto him. She detransformed happily and held on for all she was worth.

  "Aino-san," he yelled at her. "Get off of me!"

  She shook her head vigorously as she pulled him off to the side. Looking around to see none of the others had followed them, she put on a serious face. "Yaten," she said. "What's happening? I don't understand all of this. Why weren't you in your Sailor Starlight fuku?"

  Yaten looked down at the ground. "Because I'm not a Starlight anymore."

  Minako shouted loudly before Yaten put his hand over her mouth. Both looked at the others, who were staring, before walking further away.

  "Minako, sometimes something happens for a reason," he began. He went on to tell her about what had happened up until the point that Venus had given her her power.

  "So, I really am the Ai no Megami," she wanted to know. "And you are a goddess as well?"

  He nodded.

  "So how come you still have the body of Yaten?"

  He shrugged. "I really don't know."

  "Well," she said. "I guess that it makes it easier to do this." Yaten looked bewildered for a second as he felt lips press against his in a soft kiss. He stepped back as Minako pulled away.

  She put a hand to her lips and started to blush. She looked at Yaten, ready to apologize, when he gave her a kiss in return. "I'm sorry," he said when he pulled away. "I'm sorry for not believing in you before. When I saw you die for me battling Galaxia, I realized that we should have fought together..."

  He stopped as she put a finger to his lips. "Shh," she gently said. "It's all in the past, and it will stay there, for as long as there is an ai no megami, there is always forgiveness." She said the last shouting and pointed her hand up to the sky.

  Yaten sighed and put a hand to his head. 'I knew it wouldn't be too long before she did this.'

* * *

  


  Seiya looked over at the woman beside him. She looked different from before, her golden eyes a little softer. "What is your human name," he asked softly.

  "Itsumono Kashikoi," she shyly said, refusing to meet his eyes. She could see in her memories almost kissing him as Ceres. He was handsome, and her brain couldn't get past the difference between him and Ceres, who was beautiful in her own right.

  "Kashikoi," he said, putting his hand underneath her chin. "Don't be so embarrassed. It was not your fault at what almost happened." He stopped as Jupiter and Mars came over. He walked forward as the two changed back into Makoto and Rei, but he could have sworn he heard Kashikoi speak softly, "I wish it had happened, Ceres."

  Seiya shook his head. 'Wishful thinking,' he thought as he greeted to two in front of him. The three walked back towards Usagi and Mamoru. He saw Mamoru watching him with a careful expression on his face, which relaxed when Usagi put her hand on his arm. Sighing mentally, Seiya looked over his shoulder to see Kashikoi standing where he had left her, staring at the ground.

  Rei and Makoto were oblivious to his mental wandering and hurried over to Usagi, pulling Seiya between them. Rei knelt down in front of Usagi and touched her hand to Shingo's forehead. "Daijobu, Usagi. I'm sure he'll be all right."

  Makoto pulled Seiya down next to Rei. "So, what have you been up to?"

  Usagi laid a hand on Makoto, stopping her in her tracks. "Mako-chan, don't ask so many questions. I believe there are others that must help tell the story." She looked around to see the others roaming around. As she watched, she saw Minako and Yaten walk back close to each other, the hands touching slightly.

  Saturn and Eros were sitting next to Setsuna when Kashikoi came over. "Eros," she said gently. "You should go talk to Anteros." He looked up at her before nodding and heading over to his brother who stood separate from the others.

  Kashikoi looked down at Saturn before sitting next to her. "I believe that it's safe now, Saturn," she said. She took her hand and put it on top of Saturn's and Setsuna's in a comforting way.

  Saturn nodded and changed back into Hotaru. "Will Setsuna-mama wake up?"

  Kashikoi nodded. "She will. She'll wake up when the time is right."

  Hotaru laughed lightly trying to hold back tears. "You sound just like her."

  "She gives good lessons on being mysterious," she whispered. "My name is Kashikoi, by the way."

  "Nice to meet you," Hotaru said, before looking at Setsuna again. She raised her head and glanced at Usagi and Shingo. "Shingo will be okay, right?"

  Kashikoi put her hand on Hotaru's shoulder. "Yes, he will. One day that young man will surprise us all."

  She looked across the group and saw Suru talking with Unazumi. Next to them Motoki fumed silently. Laughing, she pointed this out to Hotaru. Both giggled as they turned their attention to the group, keeping their hands together with Setsuna's. "Let's people watch," Kashikoi whispered. Hotaru agreed with a nod.


	7. Chapter 7: Stories

Title: The Return  
Author: Richan  
Disclaimer: I don't own any Sailor Moon characters.  
Notes: I know that it's been over a year since I uploaded a chapter to this story. Unfortunately, my computer crashed and the computer that I have been using does not have a zip drive, which all of these files were stored on. I managed to get my hands on the old version from one of my previous websites after a lot of work, and I've been polishing off the rest of the story. I will try to upload a chapter a day from here on out, but I may not have computer access on some days.

* * *

Chapter 7: Stories 

Taiki watched Ami out of the corner of his eye. Both of them were a little embarrassed about what was happening, but neither knew what to say to each other. He could see Nephrite and Jadeite watching them with amused expressions and he glared at them. The two men stifled laughter and went to talk to Kunzite and Zoicite.

Ami knew that Taiki was looking at her. Keeping her eyes on the ground, she opened her mouth to say something, but for once couldn't think of anything intelligent. "Um..." she began and closed her mouth as Taiki started to talk.

Both glanced at each other as they realized they had spoken at the same time. They blushed and Taiki took a hold of Ami's right hand. Bringing it up, he placed a soft kiss on the back before putting it back down at her side.

Ami raised her hand and looked at it before looking Taiki again. A soft blush on her cheeks, she smiled at him. "Taiki-san," she said.

"Mizuno-san," he said.

"Um..." Ami began again. "For once I can't think of anything."

"Neither can I," Taiki agreed. Looking at each other, they burst out laughing at this situation they were in. "Maybe we can find somebody to talk for us," he said, indicating that they should join the others.

Ami nodded, happy that this small hurdle was over with. As they walked over to join Usagi and the others, she glanced up at Taiki and sighed. 'What is this feeling? Why am I feeling this way,' she wondered, touching her heart.

* * *

Eros sat next to his brother, who was brooding quietly. He had been here for ten minutes and Anteros had yet to say a word. Sighing, Eros began to brood as well. He didn't know what to say that would help Anteros, or himself for that matter. He looked over to where Minako was coming back to the group. His mother had given her power to that girl. Watching her and the boy, he saw their hands touch each other as they tried to be subtle. He snorted, trying to keep in his laughter when he felt more than saw Anteros' shoulders shake. 

Looking at his brother, he saw that he was trying to contain his laughter as well. Anteros glanced up to find Eros looking as if he wanted to explode. Bursting out in laughter, Anteros said, "I see our mother's irrepressible spirit is hard at work."

Eros laughed. "As hard a work as she ever did."

Their laughter died slowly and Eros looked over at Kashikoi. "She wanted me to come over here and talk, and now I see why."

Anteros glanced at him. "What?"

"Together we form a whole, right?" Eros asked.

He nodded.

"And we were separated to make two people?"

Anteros nodded again. He didn't quite understand where Eros was going with this.

"We have two halves that at some point must become one," Eros said.

He looked at his brother in shock. "So we must become one? What will happen then?"

Eros sighed. "I don't know, brother. I don't know."

* * *

The old man had wandered for many years. He should have been dead long ago, but something was keeping him alive. He had searched all over the world looking for the person that held the crystal that guarded this planet. Gold in color, he knew that it was powerful in the right hands. 

As he walked to the east, he had come upon a large body of water. The sea was rough, and he was wondering how he would be able to cross it. He had the feeling that what he was seeking lay across the water. Setting up for the night, he went in search of fuel. He found some brush that would last long enough to cook his dinner. As he made his way back to camp, he saw a young man off in the distance, watching him. He raised his hand and continued on to camp. As he cooked dinner, he felt like he was being watched. Looking up, he saw the same young man watching.

The old man motioned for him to come closer, and when he walked into the light of the fire, the old man saw that he was starving. Reaching into his sack, he pulled out the other bowl and filled it. Holding it out, he waited for the young man to take it. Hesitating, the young man grabbed it after a couple seconds of internal debate. Not bothering with the spoon, he shoveled the food in with his hands, trying to get all the food in him as quick as he could.

"Slow down, young man," the old man said. "You will make yourself sick if you eat that fast."

The young man looked at him, and tried to slow down. A couple of minutes passed and he handed the bowl back clean. The old man chuckled as he refilled it and handed it back.

"Hungry?"

The young man nodded as he ate. He cleaned the bowl once more and shook his head when the old man pointed at the food.

"Thank you, sir," he said in a quiet voice. "It has been many days since I've last eaten. How can I ever thank you?"

The old man waved away the thanks. "The only thanks I'd like it to know how to cross that sea there."

"It's difficult," the young man said. "But I can get you over there."

"Then that will be fine. What's your name, young man?"

He laughed. "I haven't been called young man in a long time. My name is Hi1, and yours is...?"

The old man shook his head. "I haven't one."

"Ah," Hi said. "You remind me of another who had no name, yet many names. But what can I call you, though?"

"Well, just call me oji-san," the old man said. "That will work just as well as anything I give you."

"We'll leave at dawn tomorrow, if that's alright with you," Hi said.

The old man nodded. "Dawn."

* * *

Everybody had gathered around Usagi, who still held Shingo tightly. They had brought Setsuna over to the shelter that they had made and she lay over in a corner, Hotaru still clutching her hand. The others listened while Suru and Kashikoi explained the events that led up to the present. 

"So," Haruka said. "If you had found the others, this would never have happened."

Suru shook his head. "That's not the way it works. We only awoke a couple of days before we found Motoki and Unazumi. The immense feeling of evil spreading over the planet was what triggered our memories of Olympus."

Kashikoi was nodding her head. "We didn't even realize what our true forms were. We had known each other before that, but neither of us had any idea of what was in store for us." She muttered under her breath, "Still don't."

Seiya looked over at her, not noticing that Usagi and Mamoru were watching him. "We met up with the four of them on the moon, just as Beryl gained control, and by that time, it was too late to help until we woke up the guardians."

Yaten and Taiki nodded. "Princess Kakyuu sent us as soon as I felt something bad happen," Yaten said. He touched his heart with one hand. Minako grabbed the other and held it.

"She knew that something had happened," Taiki said. "When we left, she said that she would be alright, and Yaten said that she had new senshi to protect her as we flew through space."

Usagi was concerned for her new friends. She turned to Mamoru to see a thoughtful look on his face. "Mamo-chan?"

"I was thinking that we have to find Saturn, so that he can wake up Setsuna."

Suru nodded. "We have to find him soon. From what they found on Saturn, it can only mean it's a matter of time before the daughters of the night show up. Beryl is not the one who is really in control."

The senshi and generals were shocked.

"How do you know this," Rei asked.

"Because," Motoki said, "Somebody has given her the power of a god."

There was a brief silence before everybody started talking. Each wondered why somebody had given this power to Beryl, essentially raising her from the dead.

Usagi looked at Shingo, remembering what the others had said about his ability to move metal. 'I wonder if he was meant to fight with us, but was too young,' she thought. Sighing, she looked over at Setsuna and smiled tiredly at Hotaru. 'Hopefully things will look better in the morning.'

* * *

The old man and Hi battled the sea. They had left the shore at dawn in Hi's small boat, just large enough for the two of them. Tiring, they struggled on through the afternoon. As the sun set, they were exhausted. Almost asleep, Hi looked up at the horizon one last time, hoping that the horizon would show land. 

Amazingly, there was land in the distance. He signaled to the old man, renewed by the sight.

Landing, they headed inland. Neither of them realized that they had been off-course, and had gone much farther north than they thought. The old man followed his instincts and headed off to his left. Hi went after him, making sure that the old man got to where he was going.

Both of them soon came upon a shelter in the middle of a valley. There was a stream nearby, and a young woman sitting with her feet in it. At the sounds of the old man and Hi coming towards her, she raised her head and "eeped." She stood up and went to them, holding out her hand to the old man.

"We have been waiting for you, ji-san," she said, tossing her red-brown hair behind her shoulder. She looked at the younger man and gasped. "For you as well. What a package deal!"

The two men looked at each other confused as the young woman headed towards the shelter. "They're here," she shouted. "Suru, they're here!"

A young man with long black hair came out of the shelter, followed by a woman with long blond ponytails and a man with black hair tied at his nape.

"Unazumi, who's here?" the first asked.

Unazumi bent over to catch her breath. "Saturn's here, and he brought somebody else." She looked over at the young man walking towards them with the older man. "Vulcan."

"Who? Who'd you say," he asked.

"Vulcan," Seiya said. "I see." He looked over at Usagi, who was watching the men approach. He glanced back into the shelter, trying to catch Mamoru's eye. Finally doing so, he motioned for him to come to the front.

Hi and the old man stopped in the front of the shelter. As they did so, Mamoru came to the front as well. The old man's eyes lit up when he saw the newcomer.

"I found you," he said with a sigh of relief.

The others looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Elios said that I would find you if I searched," he continued.

"Elios," Mamoru whispered, looking at the old man again.

Usagi went over and put her hand on the old man's arm. "You are Saturn, aren't you." She didn't ask, but stated it.

The old man looked at the young woman again. "I should have known. Only one of such beauty could see through my disguises."

Several of the others wandered over at this point, wondering who the newcomers were. Kashikoi stepped forward, saying, "You are Saturn, aren't you?"

The old man nodded. "Yes." His head bowed briefly. "I have been called by that name."

Usagi smiled serenely at him as he looked up. "Please, come into our shelter, and we can find something for you to eat."

Saturn sighed and looked around the room as they entered. He stopped when he saw Setsuna in a corner, with Hotaru by her side. "First, there is somebody I must awaken, then I can tell you something." He went over to the senshi of time and touched her forehead lightly. The symbol of Pluto flashed once and disappeared.

Setsuna opened her eyes and found herself looking at Saturn. Blinking, she sat up and found everyone else staring at them, almost waiting for something to happen.

Saturn laughed. "Expected me to disappear, did you?"

Everyone heads, except Setsuna's, bobbed up and down a couple of times.

"How...?" Rei asked.

By this time Setsuna had fully awakened. And, removing Hotaru forcefully from her, she walked to the center. "I believe that you have some answers to some questions that I have," she said to Saturn.

He nodded, looking over at Hi. "Young man, please sit next to this young man, but don't touch him. You have a right to know what will happen when it is time for you to do so."

Hi looked at him questioningly, but did as he was bade.

Saturn looked at Setsuna and Kashikoi, the two people he could never hide from, one because she had been like a daughter on Olympus, the other because she held his power. Smiling at them, he bade them sit as well with the others. They both hung shyly in the back, the oldest protectively sitting by Hotaru and the youngest who was speaking to the one named Seiya, patiently waiting for him to begin. He wondered if they knew the secret he kept.

Makoto looked across the circle at Seiya. She saw him talking softly with Kashikoi and sighed. Jadeite heard this and asked what the matter was. Shaking her head, she turned to watch Saturn. Jadeite looked at her thoughtfully before turning his attention to the god in the middle of the shelter.

"I had best begin with these two young men here," Saturn began, pointing at Hi and Shingo. "For these two boys are two halves of the same whole."

Hi looked as if he were a deer in the headlights, and Usagi gasped. "What...?"

Saturn looked at Usagi. "My dear, don't worry. I have searched the planet for a thousand years for the man next to you," he said, nodding at Mamoru. "But in doing so, I have come upon the final piece of the puzzle to the oracle that was given so long ago."

Setsuna rose and crossed over to Saturn. "I believe it best if you told the oracle, Saturn."

He looked at her for a moment. "Ah yes, I do believe I should."

Saturn looked at the group before him, seeing familiar auras with new faces. All of them here were gods and goddesses either in the past or the present.

"The oracle began with a great fight between a young woman and man against a terrible evil. In fighting with it, the young couple and all their allies were put under eternal sleep..."

* * *

The oracle whispered the story to its listener. 

"In such hard times as these,  
Those in need are found helpless.  
Those that seek the darkness,  
Are powerful yet unable to control it.  
Great warriors search for the keys  
That unlock the door to peace.  
In that time many years pass,  
Leaving those left behind in misery.  
Out of these few left,  
One stands alone, helping others.  
Crossing the stormy sea,  
He comes across the golden one.  
The hammer will reunite,  
Revealing the strength that lives.  
Awakening the power within,  
The Earth shall be reborn.  
The darkness shudders in the light,  
And heaves towards the sun.  
As it flies through space,  
It is hit with a great force.  
Wielding their many weapons of peace,  
The great warriors battle.  
The silver couple shall lead the way,  
The faithful close behind.  
New allies strengthen them,  
Seeking for the end of evil.  
The evil seethes in the darkness,  
Waiting for its chance to strike.  
Great guardians shall rise from sleep,  
To sleep once more 'til the day arrives  
In which their awesome power  
Stands up to the great evil.  
Awakening within, the power grows,  
Building great force.  
Hitting the evil, it is weakened,  
But doesn't destroy.  
Guided by the hand of Diana,  
Guarded by the chariot of Apollo,  
Only then can the warriors  
Defeat this evil, creating peace.  
The warriors must look to the sky,  
The sea, the earth, the sun.  
Creating harmony, the planet sings,  
Beginning again with great health.  
Rejoicing, the warriors must part,  
Some stay to continue the peace.  
The others leave for places  
That evil still presides over.

The oracle stopped, as its listener sighed. "Thank you for this guidance," the listener said. "I will heed this advice, searching for the answer to this."

* * *

Saturn looked over the group as he finished telling the oracle. His eyes moved over each person to see their reaction. His senshi looked thoughtful, but wasn't surprised by it. The one with the long blond pigtails, Usagi, was deep in thought, not really seeing the young man next to her. His pretend daughter was also in thought, but she certainly wasn't concentrating on the story. It looked like she was watching the young man next to her. 'Kashikoi,' he thought. 'We really need your mind on the matter at hand.' 

She looked up at him and winked, indicating that she really was thinking about the oracle. He laughed silently for a second before moving his attention on. He soon came to Kunzite, who was staring up at him with intense eyes. Crooking his eyebrow, Saturn came over to him.

"Why do you look so?"

Kunzite shook his head. "That is so much like the story that I heard growing up. It was much embellished, but it followed the oracle very closely."

Next to him, Zoicite was nodding his head. "In our training, we were told the story so that we could memorize it, just in case Endymion would be the one in it." He looked across the room to where his prince sat. "And I believe that it is."

Saturn smiled slightly. "I believe that you two are smart young men. Keep your eyes open for more similarities and let the others know. There are a couple more of you that will do the same, and you will know." He turned to cross over to where Hi and Shingo were, leaving the two generals a little confused by this, until they saw Setsuna looking over at them. Going about the room, they saw Usagi watching them, worry written on her face as she glanced over at her brother.

* * *

Zoicite crooked his head at her. "She is worried about that young man." 

Kunzite agreed. "Yes, but I believe that young man also holds great power like the rest of us."

* * *

Saturn crouched next to Hi. "So young man, did you understand what I told you?" 

Hi shook his head. "Everything that you've said so far has gone over my head. I thought that you had no name?"

"I have no name yet many names," Saturn replied. "That is why I give no name."

"Then why did you ask me to call you oji-san?"

"Because," Setsuna came up to them saying, "He is the father of time itself. Therefore, he is the father of us, or at least the times we live in."

Saturn nodded. "Bluntly put, Setsuna, but it will do."

Usagi and Mamoru came over. "Saturn, please tell us what is going on with my brother and this man," she said. She looked down at Shingo with sad eyes, raising them to look at Saturn.

"When Shingo was born, his soul was kept whole. However, he must have used his powers to protect you. His powers not quite fully awakened, they split, and formed this young man."

Hi stared blankly. "I'm part...part of him?"

Saturn shook his head. "That's only partly true. You are part of him, but he is part of you. None of you realize how much time has passed since this all started." He searched their faces looking for an indication. They all shook their heads and looked at him expectantly. "Almost a thousand years has passed since Beryl took over the Earth."

By this time the others had gathered around, and the gasp heard was near deafening. "How is this possible?" Ami wanted to know. She was tempted to pull out the Mercury computer to see if he was right.

"It takes time to gather gods," Eros said quietly. He stood next to his brother off to the side. "Even at the fastest that we could travel, it takes a while to get through space."

Yaten nodded. "We traveled fast as the Starlights, but even we could not travel at the speeds we could as goddesses. We couldn't tell the passage of time at those speeds."

Saturn looked down at Hi and Shingo again. "Hi, by touching this boy, you will join into one body, with the knowledge of both. You have the same personality as he does. You share the same consciousness, so do not worry about being lost. You are just the part of yourself that has been awake these thousand years."

Hi felt a touch on his hand and looked up to see Usagi watching him with tears in her eyes. "Please," she said softly. "You must join together, for I have missed you." He looked at the others, who had encouraging expressions on their faces. Glancing at Shingo, he took a deep breath and reached out to touch him.

There was a bright glow around the two, spreading out to envelop everybody in the shelter. It built up speed as it raced across the land, golden in color. It left behind green grass and young trees, swaying in a gentle breeze. It stopped just before the gates to Beryl's castle, leaving a small strip of bare dirt around it.

Back at the shelter, the group was amazed at what had happened. There was another collective gasp when they saw Mamoru holding on to the golden crystal.

"That's supposed to protect Elysion," Minako gasped.

The other Inner senshi nodded their heads in agreement.

"It doesn't need it anymore," Mamoru said softly. Holding onto the crystal, he turned to look for Shingo, but only found Hi. Blinking, he saw that Hi had gotten younger and his face was Shingo's.

"Shingo," Usagi sobbed, and launched herself into his arms. The young man hesitated for a second before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Ok, people," Unazumi said. "Nothing here to see. Back up! Move it!" She ruined it by starting to laugh.

Motoki reached over to pinch her. "Good one, sis."

Makoto joined Unazumi. "Yup, nothing to see." She laughed as well, moving her hands in front of her, trying to get everybody to move.

Nobody noticed Luna and Artemis weave through their feet to reach Usagi. Luna looked up at Mamoru to find him looking at the golden crystal in wonder and awe. Rubbing against his ankles to get his attention, Luna walked a little bit away from the crowd. She jumped up into his arms to talk to him. "Mamoru-san," she began. "Daijobu. The golden crystal is yours to protect this planet. If it is up here with you, that means that Elysion can sustain itself without it."

He nodded. Concentrating, he held it in his hands. There was a gentle glow coming from it and it brightened before disappearing. Mamoru turned his hand over, looking for it, when he noticed a ring on his hand. Looking closer at it, he saw that it held the crystal within, hiding it in a similar manner as Usagi's brooch. Glancing down at Luna, he nodded again. "Thank you, Luna."

Letting her down, he walked over to Usagi and Shingo. His close-to-brother-in-law was the same age as Usagi now, almost what had happened to Hotaru. There was a hand on his shoulders, and he found that it was Nephrite. Behind him stood the other generals, all of them smiling. "You are the rightful king of the Earth like your father before you," Nephrite said. He bowed towards his king, the others following suit.

Startled, Mamoru shushed them. "I don't need this," he said to them.

Kunzite shook his head. "Very well, my king."

A sweatdrop hung off Mamoru's head as he looked at his generals.

Usagi came up with Shingo. "Mamo-chan," she sang happily. She started to say something else when there was a loud crash outside of the shelter.

Racing outside, the group found Beryl with a large troop of soldiers waiting for them. "So, the princess of the moon has awakened as well as all her groupies."

Saturn stepped forward. "What groupies?" he said. "Besides, weren't you awakened as well with a bunch of groupies?"

Beryl was taken aback, while in the background Unazumi could be heard cheering the god of time on before her mouth was shut by Suru's hands.

"You will pay for this," Beryl said menacingly. "Attack!"

* * *

I couldn't remember Unazumi's hair color, so I picked one. I wasn't sure if it was blond like Motoki's, and my tapes are in storage. 


	8. Chapter 8: L'amour

Chapter 8: L'amour  
Notes: Thanks KiwiKol on letting me know about her hair. And I think that I will keep it Unazumi for the time being. It's late, and I've been up since 4 this morning.

* * *

Beryl's troops attacked quickly, separating the group from each other. The group transformed quickly. Eros and Anteros found themselves trapped against the shelter. Unable to use their arrows with the enemies so close, they were wondering what the punishment would be. Suddenly there was a loud cry, like that of a banshee, and the enemies were tied in a chain of hearts. "I always wanted to do that," Sailor Venus said. "That Xena is addicting." As Eros and Anteros sweatdropped she continued, "I wonder if they still make that show." 

On the other side of the shelter, Sailor Moon was backed-up into a corner with Sailor Uranus. Pulling out her Space Sword, the troops stepped back.

"Whoa," Sailor Moon said. "It's twice the size it used to be."

Uranus threw it around a couple of times. "I like it."

The troops moved forward again, trapping the sword next to them.

"Well, that did a fat lot of good," Uranus said.

"Don't underestimate your other weapons," came a voice. "You must rely on others."

Sailor Moon looked up, expecting Tuxedo Kamen, but instead found Mithra. "Sorry, couldn't resist," he said. Pulling up a large ball of energy between his hands, he shot it at Beryl's troops, wiping them out as they disintegrated into dust.

Beryl directed her troops at the Sailor Senshi and their allies. She didn't know who they were, but they would go down with the others. As she watched the battle with a smirk on her face, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned back and saw nothing. Looking over other shoulder, she saw Minerva in full battle regalia. Behind her stood a very angry Ceres and Vesta. "I believe you are the cause of this trouble," Minerva asked quietly.

Beryl felt fear for the first time in her life. She could feel the energy flowing from this person in front of her in great waves.

Minerva pointed her sword at Beryl's throat. She gulped, and the tip drew a drop of blood, and soon another. Her face white, Beryl looked over at her troops. She saw only a few of the hundred that she had brought left. As she watched, she saw Sailor Saturn raise her Silence Glaive, wiping out the few that had remained.

"What are you going to do without your army, Beryl?" asked Vesta. "They are gone, and we certainly aren't going to let you go to get more."

Ceres and Minerva nodded their heads, scowls on their faces. Vesta and Ceres walked to either side of Beryl, and she soon found herself surrounded as Mithra came up behind her.

"You are weak, Beryl," came a soft yet eerie voice off to one side. There stood a figure cloaked in darkness, shimmering. There was no definition to it, yet there was substance. "Weak, yet still smart enough to attract the ones I seek close to you."

Beryl looked at the figure, almost pleading to be taken out of this situation. The four surrounding her were too powerful, even with the power given to her.

Minerva looked over at the figure and gasped.

The figure realized that it had been recognized. "I'll have to take care of you, you know that, don't you, Minerva?"

Raising her sword, Minerva started to gather a great ball of energy.

The rest of those gathered watched, some in horror, others in awe at the power being raised by both. Minerva gathered the energy in her sword and pointed it at the figure. "Leave this place now," she stated, death dripping from each word.

The figure laughed. "Is that the best you can do, Minerva? In all this time, the goddess of wisdom and war still cannot overpower me." The darkness surrounding the figure flew out, reaching towards Minerva and Beryl, swallowing those around them. With one last laugh, it disappeared.

"Minerva!" Saturn reached out for her, while Sailor Pluto looked on with great sadness written on her face.

"Vesta," cried Sailor Venus. "Don't leave me."

* * *

The group gathered in the shelter as a soft rain hit the roof. Changing back into their normal selves, they huddled together in small groups. Mako and Rei were trying to comfort Minako, who sobbed quietly. She had been crying since the others had been taken. 

"I cannot feel them in time," Saturn said softly.

Setsuna nodded. "They are no longer in the timeline. And I cannot see them in space."

Usagi looked at the two. "Who was that?"

"It was..."

Saturn was cut off as the door of the shelter burst open. In the doorway stood three women, in togas like the other gods had been dressed.

"I wouldn't answer that question, Saturn," the tallest demanded. Pointing a long sword at the group, she signaled to the others. "We want you to answer ours."

The generals formed a small circle around Mamoru and Usagi, readying themselves for battle yet again. Makoto and Rei stood up, leaving Minako on the floor. Suddenly she burst up and went up to the closest of the intruders. "You," she cried. "You are responsible."

The shortest of the women looked at the young woman hitting her chest armor. "Please," she said with a sneer. "Be off."

As they watched in horror, Minako was enveloped in darkness, disappearing from their view.

"Well," said the third woman, laughing. "One down, how many to go?"

Saturn stepped forward. "What do the Daughters of the Night have to do with this?"

The tall one laughed. "Ah, father of time, himself. Even you should know that hell hath no fury like the Furies themselves."

"Good one, Alecto(1)," said the shortest of the three. "I believe that you are out-classed, Saturn, along with these girls here and their play toys."

The generals went to step forward, but Mamoru stopped them with a shake of his head and a hand on Kunzite's arm.

Anteros walked up to the shortest. "Tisiphone(2)," he said in a low voice. "Why?"

"Why?" She laughed loud, the other two joining her. "Anteros, need you even ask? I, Tisiphone, am the avenger of murder, and these 'innocents' here with you are guilty of murder."

The senshi had looks of shock on their faces.

"What!" Rei screamed, the others shaking their heads in disagreement. "When have we ever committed murder? Defending the people of the Earth is the only thing that we have done."

Alecto turned to the third woman. "Megaera(3), bring out the list."

Nodding, she did so. It was a large scroll, and as she opened it, the list unraveled across the room. "My, what a list," she said mockingly. "Oh, I'm so jealous of it!"

"Megaera," Alecto said. "Enough with the puns."

"You're no fun," she said, pouting.

Saturn looked at the three women who had spread across the room. He turned to look at Setsuna next to him. He took her hand and whispered down in her ear. Setsuna's eyes widened, and the others could almost swear there was a sheen of tears in them.

"No," she whispered at him.

In the circle of generals, Usagi could almost feel her heart breaking at what Setsuna had to go through. She could feel the pain coming from the loneliest of senshi. She turned her head into Mamoru's chest, unable to bear what would come next.

The Furies were trying to come up with a good plan to round up these people for their master when they heard a high-pitched whine. Turning towards their hostages, they saw Saturn glowing in a soft light. Next him, Setsuna's forehead glowed with the symbol of Pluto. The two faced each other, and were enveloped in a bright, black light.

"Alecto," hissed Tisiphone. "Stop them."

"Alright," she replied, cracking her knuckles. Stepping up to the light, she put her hand up to touch it and was blown backwards into Megaera, both moaning in pain.

Hotaru henshined into Sailor Saturn and pointed her glaive at Tisiphone. "Leave now," she stated in a cold, dead voice.

The only one standing, Tisiphone looked at Alecto and Megaera. "Um, sure," she said hurridly. "I think we'll...be going now." Raising her arms, she vanished with the other two Furies.

As this was going on, the others were watching the black light grow slowly. They could hear a soft wind blowing within it, but couldn't see through it. Inside, Saturn grasped Setsuna's hand one last time.

"My dear," he began. "I don't want to go like this, but I must. You must guide the others carefully, but do not take on too much of a burden. Balance it out, and you will stay from harm."

She looked up at him, nodding. "I must guide my princess well."

"Not only her, but the others as well." Saturn started to fade. "Live well, daughter, and help your sister." A tear hanging in mid-air was all that was left of him.

Setsuna reached out and touched it, feeling power flow from it through her fingertips. "Father," she said. "I will do my best." She felt her fuku modify slightly, her staff becoming slightly shorter, the key on it more pronounced.

The black light faded, leaving Sailor Pluto alone in the middle of the shelter. There was a faint glow around her that didn't fade.

Stamping the staff of time once upon the ground, she raised it high. "Saturn is dead. Long live his spirit in Olympus."

Taiki, Shingo, Suru, and Unazumi raised their hands in tribute. "Long live his spirit in Olympus."

The other senshi, except for Usagi found themselves raising their hands, and uttering the same words as if they were puppets.

"What?" Haruka looked at Michiru, finding her hand still raised in the air.

"The guardians that have given you their powers feel this and must make tribute," Sailor Pluto said. "Now, we must awaken the two guardians left."

The others looked at each other as Eros and Anteros walked over to Pluto. Clearing his throat, Anteros gathered their attention. "What she means is that we must awaken the two that guard the prince and princess."

"I thought we guarded the prince," Zoicite said with a shocked look on his face.

Makoto nodded. "We are to guard the princess."

Eros shook his head. "Each of your guardians protect you in their own way."

Taiki walked over to them. "Now that your guardians have been awakened, you will fight for their sakes, not for the princess. She must fight for her guardian."

Usagi looked at the gathering group in confusion. "Guardian," she whispered. She could feel something click in her memory, a memory from the Silver Millennium. It softly blew through her mind as she saw Queen Serenity telling her something important. All of a sudden she could see her guardian standing before her in her mind's eye.

The picture faded quickly and she turned to Mamoru, who had a distant look in his eyes. She looked over at Shingo, who smiled softly at her, nodding his head encouragingly. "Believe," he mouthed, giving no audible sound to the word.

She could feel the word flow into her with a big impact, almost bodily throwing her into Mamoru. She felt his arms come around her to catch her, and she caught herself. As she put her hand on his, she saw another picture, this time of a young man, before it, too, faded.

"That is my guardian," Mamoru whispered to Usagi. "I saw yours as well."

Nodding, Usagi looked at her senshi. She knew that each had a purpose before her, and that she had to fight for the one held in her heart as well. She looked back up at Mamoru to find his eyes smiling down at her. "Shall we?" she whispered up to him.

Bending down, Mamoru kissed her forehead in the place where the crescent moon was hidden. "Yes."

* * *

Minako shivered in the cold. She couldn't see or hear anything, but she blindly searched for something or someone. She could remember the darkness surrounding her and the fear she felt as she was left in this place. 

Hearing a faint sound to her right, she slowly made her way in that direction. She heard the sound again, and could make out that it was a whimper. Minako reached out and touched something soft, which yelped.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly. She kept her hand on it when there was no answer. She knelt down and put her other hand out. Feeling the shape of a face, she put hers close to it, hoping that she would be able to see who this was. She could smell a faint whiff of sandalwood in the air, or what passed for air.

Suddenly, the being shifted. "Minako?"

"Who...?"

"It's me, Yaten," he answered. "Please, try to get away." He pushed her back.

Stumbling, Minako went right back to him. "Yaten," she cried. "Don't push me away. Please!" She grabbed him in a hug and held him tight. She could feel him trembling in her arms as he started to sob. "Please, tell me what's wrong!"

"She...they," he drifted off. Taking a breath, he continued. "That creature, it took the others. I don't know where they went. Seiya," he breathed. He took another deep breath. "I...I think I know who it is, and it's got revenge on its mind."

"Shh," Minako said. She held him a little longer, wondering what could make him break down like that. Thinking a little, she couldn't reconcile this Yaten with the one she knew. Moving her hands to the back of his head, she couldn't find his ponytail.

"You're not Yaten," she said, standing up. Groping blindly, she reached for her transformation pen and didn't find it.

"Looking for this?" Yaten's voice changed rapidly, becoming more feminine, yet sinister.

"What?"

"I wouldn't be trying to change here, dear," sneered the voice. "It won't help you, and you won't find your friends."

"Don't tell me that," Minako shouted at it. "NEVER tell the goddess of love that I can't find my friends. My love will guide them to me!"

There was a scream and the darkness shattered, leaving Minako in a small room with candles glowing in the corners. Sitting in the middle of the room sat Yaten. Hugging his knees, he was rocking slightly and humming to himself.

"Yaten?"

Her voice broke the silence in the room, startling him. He looked back and saw who it was, the angry look on his face fading into relief. His silver hair slid over his eyes as he shook his head. "Stuck here, too, huh?"

Minako nodded. "Yaten..."

Yaten shook his head again. "I haven't seen any of them." He went over to her. "I thought...I thought that they had changed, but when I got here, I was my human self again. Why, I can't explain."

He turned from her to start pacing. Minako followed him with her eyes as he formed a box within the room. He faded into darkness as he reached the middle of the walls, before coming into the light in the corners. As he passed by the third candle, she noticed his eyes were a little different. Coming towards her where she stood next to the fourth candle, Minako thought that she saw his face change slightly.

Her eyes widened as she realized that this wasn't him as the Yaten before wasn't really Yaten, either. Minako held up her hands, stopping the Yaten look-a-like. "Yaten-kun," she said sweetly. "I have a question to ask you."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you pacing?" Without waiting for him to answer, she went on. "Is it because you are not Yaten?"

Yaten's eyes became red and started to glow as the room diminished into darkness again. Soon, Minako could see nothing but the red eyes. Closing her own eyes, she reached deep within herself and found that she could pull her mirror out without transforming, much like Ami with her computer. Forming it in her hands, she pointed it at the red eyes. "May love shine on you all your days!"

A bright blast came out of the mirror, breaking the darkness. Where the second Yaten doppelganger had stood was one of the Furies, the one called Megaera. She was hit by the bright light shining from the handmirror of Venus, breaking her hold over Minako.

Feeling the power of Venus rush through her veins, Minako held her hand high. "Venus Love Power, Make Up!" She could feel the power course through her, even though she had no wand.

She stood before Megaera, hand-mirror in her left hand, chain in her right. Glowing, Sailor Venus walked towards the Fury that trembled at the sight of her.

As she approached, she could feel the presence of others, her allies. In the corner of her eye, she could see Vesta and Mithra walking towards her and Megaera. Sighing slightly in relief, she looked the Fury straight in the eye.

"Megaera." Her voice blew like the summer wind, hot and hard at the Jealous One. "For crimes committed against lovers everywhere, may Pluto have mercy on your soul." Sailor Venus raised her mirror. Behind her, she felt Vesta and Mithra build power as well. Gathering the strength of love in her, she concentrated it into the mirror she held. Vesta and Mithra sent their energy into her, and she blasted it at Megaera.

Screaming, the Fury tried to counterattack, but could gather no energy. She could feel death creeping into her soul, what little there was left. As she fell, she could hear Sailor Venus, Vesta, and Mithra taking pity on her.

Watching Megeara fade into the underworld, Sailor Venus collapsed. Her transformation fell, revealing a very tired Minako. Vesta changed back into Yaten and rushed forward to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Minako!"

"Yaten," she said, sleep moving into her voice. "I'm glad you're yourself."

He looked down at her in question and saw that she had fallen asleep. Glancing back up at Mithra, he found that he had changed back as well and was shrugging his shoulders. He looked back at the 'Ai no Megami' in wonder and kissed her temple. "Minako," he whispered. "Thank you."

Shifting in his arms into a more comfortable position, Minako mumbled, "Welcome," before nodding off once more.

* * *

In the shelter, the group lay down for the night, each worried about their missing teammates and the troubles that were ahead. Eros looked at Anteros and saw him shimmering. "Anteros!" 

His shout woke up the group, who crowded around the two. Eros found himself shimmering as well, almost fading. Something had happened to the curse that had formed the two brothers, breaking it.

"Megaera," Anteros whispered, looking at his brother. "She is dead. The curse is broken." He touched Eros' face. "Brother, we are becoming one again."

Rei watched the two fade, leaving nothing behind but a soft glitter hanging in the air. She reached out a hand and touched it, feeling a jolt from it. 'Please come back,' she thought. 'We need your help.'

* * *

In subspace, Eros and Anteros floated side by side. Their eyes closed, they didn't notice the two who watched them. 

"Are they ok?" one asked.

The other nodded. "The curse that was laid upon them is broken. Megaera is dead. May she be guided to Pluto to rest."

"May mercy be kind to her soul," the first one said. "Minerva, what will happen to them now?"

Shaking her head, she turned to her companion. "I wish I knew, Ceres. I wish I knew."

Eros shook his head. He could hear talking, but it was faint over the sound of the ocean that rang through his ears. He struggled to open his eyes. Failing, he reached out and touched who he knew to be his brother. 'Brother,' he thought. 'We need to go back to help.' He could feel the spirit of Mars reaching out to him, crying.

Anteros could hear the cries of Mars as well, but knew that he and his brother must become one before they could return. He too had heard the conversation in the background and knew that it was friends. He sent out a silent plea towards them, pulling them closer.

Minerva and Ceres found themselves drifting over to the pair. Grabbing their hands, the two goddesses held tight. "Come back," they said in unison. This startled them, and they looked at each other. The gazes caught and held, for what seemed like eons. Subconsciously, they let go of the brothers' hands and reached for one another. In slow motion, they touched the other's face gently. Almost synchronized, the two drifted closer.

Eros could feel what was happening to the two. Reaching out for Anteros once more, he knew that this was what was supposed to happen. Love and Lust could be rejoined, but only if each wanted it. He could feel the friendship and love flowing between the two goddesses, and it wasn't from one of his brother's arrows or his. Sighing mentally, he forced his eyes open and found Anteros looking at him. Pulling him close, Eros hugged him. "I love you, brother. Never forget that."

As the two brothers melted into each other, Anteros looked over at Minerva and Ceres, who were lost in their own little world. "Ah, l'amor," he sighed, before losing unconciousness.

There was a dull thud, breaking the spell over Ceres and Minerva. Blushing, they couldn't look at each other for a moment and broke away from each other. Gathering her spirit, Minerva touched her hand to Ceres' face once more. "Ceres," she whispered.

Looking into Minerva's face, Ceres found herself flushing. Even as Seiya, she hadn't found love like this in Usagi. Knowing that this was what she had been searching for, she covered Minerva's hand with her own, holding it securely against her cheek.

"Should we look for damage?" Minerva asked quietly.

Ceres looked at her for a second, wondering what she was talking about before remembering Eros and Anteros. As both of them looked at the floor, they found a young man lying there. Blond hair covered his closed eyes, his firm chin relaxed in sleep. The two looked around for a sign of Anteros, but couldn't find any.

As they searched, the man woke up, slowly sitting up. He looked at Minvera and Ceres with contentment, soon realizing that they were looking for something. He laughed softly, drawing the two goddesses' attention.

Both gasped as they saw his dark eyes. These were the eyes of Anteros, set in Eros' face.

"Eros?" Minerva held out a hand to him.

Nodding, then shaking his head, the man stood.

"Well, kind of yes...and kind of no," he said.

Ceres and Minerva looked at each other confused before he explained.

"I am both Eros and Anteros."

"What do we call you, then?" asked Ceres.

"Koi."

There were two more dull thuds as he looked down at the two women before him. "What did I say?"

* * *

(1) Alecto is the Fury who is unceasing in anger. 

(2) Tisiphone is the Fury who is the avenger of murder. The Romans believed that she was the one that sought justice against those that murdered those near to them, ie. family.

(3) Megaera is the jealous one. Together the Furies, or the Erinyes (pronounced aer-in-ees), were thought to be daughters of the night.


	9. Chapter 9: Knowledge

Notes: I'm sorry about the delay. I had no internet over the weekend, and only now got it back. Because I wasn't going to pay the emergency rate for them to come out over the weekend. At least I had cable.

Chapter 9: Knowledge

* * *

Koi waited on the floor patiently, knowing that the two before him would wake up any moment. He sighed and thought about his name. 'Maybe this isn't the right one,' he thought. 

Maybe, thought his other half.

'What do you think we should be called?'

Something romantic, but not dumb. How about a name for love in another language? That would work!

'Do you know of any other names?'

Silence. Um...no.

'Thought so.'

The mental debate stopped as there was movement in front of him.

Clutching her head in her hands, Minerva looked around the dimly lit room where they were. "Uh, what was that?" she asked in a daze. Shaking her head to clear it, she first looked at Ceres, then at the man beside her.

"I didn't know what to call myself," he said.

Ceres sat up and laughed softly. "I agree with you."

Sighing, the man put his head in his hands. Minerva put her hand on his arm, drawing him from his melancholy. "I think I know the perfect name for you," she said. "It's Love."

He could feel his soul sing in harmony with this word. "Love." He nodded, but then started to shake his head. "But, I'm human now. That name is for another."

Puzzled, the two goddesses looked at each other before Minerva's face brightened. "I know!"

Ceres watched her with a confused look. "What? What does it mean by 'name for another?'"

Minerva grabbed her hand with her right hand, and the man's with her left. "I got the perfect name for the one who becomes the god of love himself: Suhai(1)."

Both nodded in agreement. 'That's perfect!'

I agree.

Suhai watched as Minerva jumped for joy, changing back into her human form. Running her hand over her braid, she tried to calm herself. A huge smile on her face, she looked over as Ceres changed back into Seiya. Kashikoi ran over to him and hugged him. "I am _such_ a genius!"

Both men looked at each other and sweat dropped.

"Um, Kashikoi-san," Suhai said.

She ignored him as she continued to hug Seiya, who really wasn't complaining.

"Never mind," he said. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the two draped over each other. He could feel another presence nearby.

That is our love...

'Yes, it is.'

"Let's go, shall we?" Suhai rose from the floor and looked over at his companions. Kashikoi was looking away from Seiya, blushing.

"Um, sorry..."

"It," squeaked Seiya. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "It's ok."

Suhai went over to one of the walls. Putting his hand on it, it began to pulse with a soft glow. "I feel the presence of Venus on the other side."

Seiya and Kashikoi walked over to where he was standing, each putting a hand up to it as well.

"Hey," Kashikoi said. "I can put my hand through it!" She pushed her hand further into it, falling into the next room.

"Kashikoi!" Seiya yelled as he pushed through the wall.

Suhai sighed, and followed the two. He found Minako laying in Yaten's arms, sleeping. Motoki was off to the side, staring off into nothing. Yaten was yelling at Seiya to keep quiet, making a racket himself.

"Shh," Minako said sleepily. "'m trying to sleep."

"Minako," Kashikoi said, coming over to her and Yaten. "Let's go home."

"Home!" Minako sat up quickly, banging her head on Yaten's chin. "Itai!"

"Man!" Yaten rubbed his jaw and glared at Kashikoi, who 'eeped' and ran behind Suhai.

Motoki came over after noticing that the group had gotten bigger. "Eros?" he asked the blond man.

Suhai shook his head. "Not at the moment. By the way, it's now Love."

There was a snicker from the middle of the room, and both looked to it, finding the other four looking at nothing in particular.

"Hey, I didn't think of it! It's also Suhai."

Motoki put his hand on Suhai's shoulder. "Never admit that to the others."

"What?"

"That you didn't think of it."

"Hey," Kashikoi complained. "I thought long and hard for both of those!"

"All of two seconds," Seiya muttered under his breath.

"What!" There was an echo as Kashikoi, then Minako started to chase him around the room. Yaten rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh.

"Oi!" Motoki shouted at the others. "Let's go home already!"

Suhai was nodding his head. "Yeah, let's go."

Kashikoi and Minako looked at each other, each promising that they would extract revenge later on two males. Winking, they turned to the four men. "Ready!" they said in unison.

Seiya and Yaten sweat dropped. 'Kowaii,' both thought.

Holding hands, the six concentrated on the shelter, knowing the others wouldn't have left it yet.

* * *

Rei couldn't sleep. She could still feel the glitter on her fingertips and see the shimmering figures of Eros and Anteros. She couldn't explain what she felt, though, seeing them disappear. Her chest ached, and she didn't know why. She stepped outside, and looked up at the moon, half hidden by the Earth's shadow. 'Seven days to the full moon,' she thought. She went over to the small brook that bubbled nearby. Putting her hand in the water, she wondered what had happened to her grandfather and Yuuichiro. 

Sighing, she rose and headed back to the shelter. She noticed movement in the doorway and found Usagi rubbing at her eyes.

"Usagi!" Rei whispered.

"Rei-chan," was the tired reply. "Daijobu?"

Rei shook her head. "I'm all right, Usagi. Go back to sleep."

"They are coming home," Usagi said softly, turning to go back into the shelter and Mamo-chan's warm arms.

"What?" Rei hissed quietly.

"Don't worry, they are safe, and they'll be here soon," came the answer. Usagi yawned widely, the moonlight reflecting off her teeth. Rubbing her eyes again, she went back into the shelter.

Rei stared into the darkness of the shelter for a moment. 'How did she know?'

Hearing movement, she turned around. Behind her stood the others who had been missing for the last couple of days. Before her stood five she recognized by sight, but her heart knew who the other was.

"Who?" she asked softly, not wanting the others to hear.

"Suhai," he said, taking her hand. "Just call me Suhai."

"Ok, Suhai," Rei giggled. 'What am I doing? I'm giggling at the sight of this stranger?' She took a deep breath and looked up into his face again. She could see the mixture of Eros and Anteros in his face, but she knew he wasn't in god-form at the moment. It clicked suddenly in her brain as she heard Minako complain off in the distance that she needed some sleep.

"Suhai," she breathed.

Both felt a pinch and looked to see Motoki sweat dropping. "Come on love birds. Time enough for that in the morning."

Blushing, Rei and Suhai went into the shelter, laying close to each other.

On the other side of the room, Usagi snuggled next to Mamoru. "Safe and sound," she murmured, falling back asleep.

Mamoru tightened his arms around his Usako. 'Safe and sound,' he thought, before he, too, drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Deep in subspace, the two Furies that were left were thinking up a new plan. They had felt Megaera's death and vowed revenge. Tisiphone was especially hot under the collar. In a distant corner of their minds, they wondered what had become of the mortal that their master had given power, but they shrugged the thought off. They had work to do.

* * *

Shingo rose early the next morning. Looking around the shelter, he found that the group had been added to. One part of his brain knew who the stranger was, while the rest demanded something to drink. Shrugging his shoulders, he left the shelter, not noticing that he was being watched. 

Hotaru sat up quietly. She saw Shingo go, and remembered what he had done trying to save Usagi what felt like a million lifetimes ago. She looked over at Setsuna, who lay beside her. Making a decision, she rose to follow the young man.

Setsuna smiled in her sleep and rolled over.

Outside, Shingo knelt by the brook, scooping his hands to drink. There was movement on his side, and he turned his head sharply. "Hotaru," he said quietly.

She just nodded shyly, reaching for some water. She tried to get enough up to her lips, but it slipped between her fingers. She let out a noise of frustration.

"Like this," Shingo said, touching her hands.

They jumped back at the shock that ran through them.

Blushing, Shingo reached for Hotaru's hands again. "Here, hold them like this."

In the doorway, Usagi looked on and sighed. Mamoru came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulder. "What do you think," he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm happy for them."

"Do..." Mamoru drifted off, unable to ask the question he wanted to.

"Do I wonder what happened to my parents?"

He nodded.

"I know that whatever happened to them wasn't bad." Usagi touched her heart. "I can feel that they were happy."

Inside the shelter, Makoto lay next to Jadeite, the two quietly talking. "Did you notice that we seem to be pairing up?" he asked.

Makoto blushed. "Um, I think..." She stopped, unable to voice the thought she had.

"You think...what?"

"Nothing."

Jadeite smiled at her. "It can't be nothing if it makes your cheeks so rosy." 'What am I doing?' he thought to himself. 'Am I flirting?"

Makoto was thinking to herself as well. 'Is this really the man that Rei complained was trying to burn down Tokyo?' She blushed, trying to reconcile this man with what she had been told. She mentally shook her head. If Mamoru-san trusted him, she would, too.

She smiled at him all of sudden. Jadeite blinked. 'Whoa!'

* * *

Sunset found Motoki sitting at the brook. 'Reika,' he thought sadly. 'I wonder what happened to you.' Sighing, he picked up a stone and attempted to skip it across the little brook. 

It sank.

'Figures.'

"So," came a voice over his shoulder. "You have lost the one you loved."

Motoki looked up. He was surprised to see Setsuna dropping to sit next to him. "I have to mourn."

She nodded slightly and looked him in the eyes. Her garnet eyes seemed to be boring into him, and Motoki took a sharp breath, releasing it slowly.

Setsuna turned her head to look at the sunset as the sun fell beneath the horizon. "The night always seems long, but a new day will begin when it's over."

There was a snort behind them and the two looked behind them to see Hotaru and Shingo snickering behind their hands. "Setsuna-mama, don't make him more depressed than he already is," Hotaru said, trying not to laugh. Shingo looked at Motoki and shrugged, before bursting out in laughter.

"Gomen," Shingo said, getting a hold of himself. "You just sounded like my mom's soap operas."

Several expressions ran over Motoki's face, too quick to catch. After a couple of seconds, there was a broken laugh, soon followed by a richer sound.

Hotaru and Shingo broke out in laughter again as Motoki continued. Setsuna merely smiled.

* * *

Taiki watched Ami out of the corner of his eye. Ever since Setsuna had been given Saturn's remaining power, she had been avoiding everybody. He had tried to talk to her several times, but she would find a way out of speaking to anybody. Sighing, he sat down and watched the others. He saw Seiya sitting next to Rei, but not really listening. Taiki laughed when he realized that he was actually watching Kashikoi speak animatedly to Suru, Minako, and Makoto about something. He continued laughing when he saw that Yaten was watching Minako while he was talking to Suhai. 

His eyes went around the room, trying to find someone who might be able to tell him what was wrong with Ami. His eyes met up with Nephrite's, who was sitting in the opposite corner from him. Taiki got up and crossed the room, sitting down next to him.

"You can learn a lot by watching people, can't you?" Nephrite said.

Taiki nodded, before shifting his gaze back to Ami.

Nephrite chuckled. "I see that everyone has paired up but me."

Whipping his head back at the man next him, Taiki faintly blushed before looking around the room.

Nephrite chuckled some more as he watched the other occupants of the room. He saw Jadeite making calf eyes at Makoto, and he noticed the other worshipers to the group nearby. All four had people looking at them, and they were oblivious. He laughed as he realized that wasn't true, as Minako hauled Yaten over to the group, gesturing madly.

In the middle of the room, he saw his prince with his princess, talking to her younger brother and Hotaru. He could recall some memories from the Silver Millennium, and he had always felt sorry for the senshi of death and destruction. The young woman that she had been reborn as was entitled to love, at least in his eyes. His mind wandered back to when he was last upon Earth, fighting for Beryl. He could see blue eyes looking at him in concern. "Naru," he whispered.

Taiki caught this and turned his head. He opened his mouth, then closed it when he saw the look on Nephrite's face. Gathering up his courage, he spoke,

"Um...Nephrite-san," he began. He broke off when he caught the other's attention. Blushing again, he continued. "I was wondering, how could I talk to somebody who doesn't want to talk to anybody?"

Nephrite looked over the group quickly, finding Ami over in one of the other corners by herself. "Aa, Mizuno-san. You are worried about her, aren't you?"

Taiki nodded slightly, looking over at the senshi of ice before turning back to his companion. "She won't talk to anybody, not even Usagi-san."

Shaking his head, the general looked over at the young woman. "The only advice that I can give you is to keep on trying to talk to you. She will eventually want to talk to somebody, and if you are that worried about her, make sure that it's you. That way you can be reassured that she's alright, and you won't have to hear about from somebody else."

Taiki looked at his feet for a couple moments. Raising his head, he nodded his thanks to Nephrite and got up. Crossing the room, he sat next to Ami, who didn't notice. He looked at her face, and could see tears at the corners of her eyes. 'She's crying,' he thought, sad. 'How do I cheer her up when she won't talk to anybody?'

* * *

Ami knew that Taiki and the others were worried, but she couldn't speak. She was terrified that something would happen, and that she would end up giving her life to protect Usagi again. She could feel a cold wind flow through her and she shivered. Ami felt Taiki take one of her hands, and knew that he was talking to her, but she couldn't hear it. 

Her mind drifted in the cold, looking for an anchor to hold onto as the winds increased. It felt like she was at the North Pole again, fighting Beryl the first time. Ami no longer felt attached to her body as she floated. There was no awareness of the panic that she left behind as she continued searching.

"Ami!" Taiki yelled as she slumped over. Frantically searching for some sign of life, he couldn't feel a pulse anywhere. The others came rushing over, Usagi the first there. She held her hand up to her friend's forehead, searching for warmth.

"Ami-chan!"

"Ami," Taiki cried. He held onto her as Usagi continued to look for life. "Please come back."

"You have to go search for her," somebody said in the back.

The group turned and found Motoki there.

"This is the work of Tisiphone," Suru said.

Motoki nodded. "She has taken her to avenge something."

"Megaera's death," Setsuna said softly. She transformed into Sailor Pluto. "Come, we don't have a lot of time."

Everybody got ready to go, transforming into their more powerful selves, when the door burst open again. In the doorway, Beryl stood with more troops behind her. "I will get my revenge on you Sailor Moon," she sneered.

Demeter hung onto Ami's body protectively. Sailor Pluto came over, Juno and Janus close behind. "This will be enough," Pluto said quietly. The others looked at her, confused, as she waved her staff and they disappeared.

Beryl's troops entered the shelter, and there was mass destruction.

* * *

In the quiet and darkness of her mind, Ami floated. A part of her knew that she had to find something to hold onto, but she couldn't find anything. A part of her past, her present, even the glimpse that she had seen of the future were nowhere in sight. She felt that she needed something to remind her of herself, but didn't find anything. 

There was a soft laugh, but not one of joy. Instead, there was darkness dripping off of it as it echoed through her mind.

"How does it feel to be set adrift, Sailor Mercury?"

Ami shook her head. She didn't know who this person was, or why she was calling her 'Sailor Mercury.'

"I am adrift," the voice went on. "I have lost one of my sisters, and I think that you will be perfect to take her place."

"Sister," Ami whispered.

"Yes, sister. You will become one of us, and be strong once again."

Her mind was flooded with images of battles. She saw herself as the weakest one there, for she knew that she was meant to fight beside the people in the pictures. She saw her attacks were really for defense, not meant to break the enemy.

"How many times have you died for your princess," the insidious voice asked. "How many more times must you die for her?"

Ami shook her head. She didn't know if she could take this, this torture of knowing that she had to die sometimes to protect the one she had to. Her mind's anchor caught on those words. 'Had to' rolled around her mind, thundering like a stampede across the savannah. She _had_ to die to protect her princess. Her mind built up in anger, focusing on the words. She would end up giving her life for her princess, yet again if the battle went on as it did. Ami searched for ways to get out of this as there was more laughter in the background.

Tisiphone was ready to strike. This girl was so easy to confuse, in spite of her intelligence. She rubbed her hands, gleefully, at the thought of destroying those who had killed Megaera.

"Stop," came a soft voice. "Ami..."

Her mind stopped. She knew that voice from somewhere, but couldn't make the connection. Opening her eyes, Ami saw Sailor Pluto, Juno, Janus, and Demeter facing off against Tisiphone. Confused, she put her hand to her forehead and rubbed tiredly.

Demeter came over to her, grabbing her hand and lifting her chin. Directing Ami's eyes at her, she looked in them. "Ami," she pleaded. "Please come back. Come back to me."

She shook her head, distraught. Her heart hurt as she heard Tisiphone talking to her as well. Ami felt the wind get stronger as her heart and mind warred with each other. She could hear Demeter and Tisiphone's voices running through her mind, but she couldn't understand their words. As she drifted off again, she felt a tug. There was darkness again, but each time she tried to float away, she felt a pull on her left hand. She opened her eyes, trying to see through the darkness what was holding her back.

On the pinky finger of her left hand was a series of red strings. Ami stared at them for a couple of seconds before she tugged her hand towards her.

Demeter was pulled over to her, followed by a surprised Sailor Moon, who had been fighting Beryl.

"Ami," Demeter said. "Follow your heart and mind. Please..."

Ami stared into Demeter's purple eyes and felt something click. She could feel her mind set anchor next to her heart, joining them together. She could feel the love pouring from these two people, who didn't expect her to die, but to live with them in peace.

Turning to Sailor Moon, who had tears in her blue eyes, Ami saw the same message. Looking at Sailor Pluto, Juno and Janus, she felt love radiating at her. She looked at Janus, the god of beginnings, and saw that she could begin again, but she needed the past to look back on. She knew that even if she had to die again for her princess, she would find strength in the fact that there will always be more chances to live.

Taking a deep breath she reached inside herself and found the strength to fight, both with her mind and her heart. "Mercury Ice Power, Make Up!"

She transformed and felt the coldness that had drifted through her mind. The group was in a place filled with bone-chilling winds, whipped into a frenzy by Tisiphone.

Sailor Mercury took out her computer, holding it in her left hand. In her right, the harp she used for her Aqua Rhapsody attack formed. She held both with an upraised head, confidant once more in herself. She looked at the two people she loved the most in this world and vowed to protect them into the next.

* * *

The group was bewildered when Sailor Moon suddenly disappeared. First those that went to help Ami had disappeared, now their leader. 

Endymion knew that she was okay, but still felt anger that she wasn't here. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he knew that she was fighting for Ami, but he wanted her to stand next to him to fight Beryl. He could sense his generals around him, fighting fiercely, but he felt detached from the scene. Looking across the shelter turned battlefield, he could see the others fighting. Finally, he felt connected as he saw Beryl turn her eyes from the spot where she had been fighting Sailor Moon.

Gazing over the participants, Beryl searched for her prey. She wanted to deal personally with Sailor Moon, and the little brat had disappeared. If that senshi was too much of a coward to fight her, she would do the next best thing--take Endymion from her once more. Gloating, she fought her way over to the prince and his generals, who blocked her way.

"We cannot allow you to take him again, Beryl," Kunzite said threateningly. "You may have gotten us before, but not this time."

"We shall see," was the reply as Beryl raised her hands. Forming the words that would turn them to sleep, she gathered energy. All of a sudden there was a bright burst of light and Sailor Moon and company returned, facing off Tisiphone.

Beryl looked at the Fury, and was startled to find her breathing heavily, but her opponents looked as if they were at the beach. 'Well,' Beryl thought. 'Since the brat is back, I may as well get back to this. I'll wait until they battle Tisiphone, and when they are tired, I'll be back.' Gathering what was left of her army, she vanished.

"Damn," Jadeite said. "Just once I'd like to let her get what's coming to her." He clenched his fist tightly, watching the spot where Beryl had stood.

"Let it go, Jadeite," Endymion said. "We have another to fight."

On the other side of the battle, Sailor Mercury faced Tisiphone.

"I guess I'll have to try this another way," the Fury said.

"You won't get another try," Sailor Mercury said, steel wrapped around the words. "I will make sure of that."

Tisiphone was starting to be afraid. Her plan to attack the weakest of the senshi was starting to backfire big time. She had figured that warping this senshi would give her an edge to get to those that had killed Megaera, but this fight hadn't been expected.

Sailor Mercury looked at the Fury. She didn't need her visor to see the darkness that radiated off of this goddess. The cold whipping through her body got intense, and she felt power coursing along her hand towards her harp. She plucked the strings, aiming the power at Tisiphone, who screamed when it hit.

The power that shot from the harp was enormous. The others watched in awe at the energy pouring from the senshi of ice and knowledge. Mercury's symbol shone brightly on her forehead as the energy attack continued.

Tisiphone grew colder and colder, from the energy and the look in Sailor Mercury's eyes. The look was one that she had seen before. With her last remaining strength, she searched her memories for who had given her the look as well. Her eyes widened as she connected Sailor Mercury with the god Mercury. He had been the one that had been so disdainful of her and her need to avenge humanity taken down by humanity.

The Fury stood stiffly, trying to save what little warmth she had left, but couldn't hold on to it, not with the strength that Sailor Mercury was sending at her. She opened her mouth in a silent scream.

Sailor Mercury looked at her opponent one last time. Tisiphone had wrecked havoc over the world in her bloodlust for revenge. This goddess, this creature, this daughter of the night was no longer needed in humanity, for there was a new age approaching. She felt Mercury guide her to release the final blow.

"May those you have killed in cold blood have mercy on your soul," Sailor Mercury said in a voice as cold as the ice she threw at Tisiphone. The Fury opened her mouth in another silent scream and disappeared, banished to reside in Hades.

"Yeah!" shouted Sailor Moon, rushing over to hug Sailor Mercury. "I'm so proud of you!"

Demeter nodded her head slightly, praising the senshi of ice with joyful eyes.

Sailor Pluto looked almost relieved, as she headed over to where Sailor Saturn was standing. The senshi of death looked over at the stoic woman, surprised to see the look on her face. If any of the group was able to read the senshi of time's face it was she. As they all transformed, Hotaru took Setsuna over to the remaining corner of the shelter that was left standing. "Setsuna-mama," she said, tugging at her sleeve. "What's the matter?"

Setsuna shook her head, and looked out over the group. "It is nothing, Hotaru-chan. Do not worry about it."

Shingo came over, and shyly nodded to Hotaru, blushing. "Usagi said that we should find new shelter before it gets any darker." He turned around as soon as he said this, not realizing that Hotaru had started to blush when he had approached, watching him shyly.

Setsuna smiled slightly and headed over to the others.

* * *

Suhai means admiration or worship (as in love). 


	10. Chapter 10: The Lull Before the Storm

AN: I am sorry about the delay. I've been doing some soul searching, which meant away from the computer. Please see my profile for the results.

Chapter 10: The Lull Before the Storm

* * *

Beryl waited in the darkness, seething at the missed opportunities to get her opponent. She could see Sailor Moon standing in the light, surrounded by her senshi and prince. The others that surrounded them where unimportant in her eyes, having been told to leave them alone. Not questioning this, Beryl used the power that she had been given to create another portal, this time landing close to her enemy's newest shelter. 

Gazing on the house, she saw that it was no different from what had been in Tokyo so long ago, when she had started her second campaign to create darkness on Earth. Soft, golden light shone from the windows, revealing shadows moving through the house. She was looking for the shadow that would reveal her nemesis.

There was a restlessness behind her, indicating that her troops were tired of staying here. With an upraised eyebrow, she turned to look at them, silencing them quickly. Turning back to her mission, she watched carefully.

The lights turned off, one by one, not revealing anything. 'Stupid curtains,' Beryl thought. 'They didn't quite let the shadows through.'

* * *

In one of the rooms upstairs, Usagi snuggled next to Mamoru. As they lay on one of the beds in the room, the held each other tight, not really knowing what was going to happen next. They could both feel Beryl's energy nearby, and all night they had been careful not to go near the windows. Somehow, they both knew when their enemy was nearby, and they were taking great steps to keep from her noticing what was going on. 

Usagi sighed, looking over at the other bed. Minako and Yaten were trying not to touch each other as they lay side by side. Stifling a giggle, she turned her head into Mamoru's chest.

Mamoru hugged his Usako tighter. He could feel the darkness coming closer and closer, and he wasn't able to do anything about it. Even holding the golden crystal next to him wasn't enough. He looked down at Usagi, who was trying to hide laughter. Wondering what she could have been laughing at, he looked across the room to see the senshi of love trying to behave with a certain ThreeLight. In the four years that he had known all of the senshi, he had never seen Minako try to act so circumspect. He had to hide his own laughter as he watched the nervous tossing and turning on the other bed.

"I wonder how they're going to be able to sleep tonight," Usagi whispered.

"Who knows," Mamoru whispered back. "Don't worry about them, Usako. Try to get some sleep yourself."

"Hai, Mamo-chan."

On the other bed, Yaten was wondering what had gotten into Minako. She had dragged him up the stairs, demanding that he had to share a bed with her. He had resisted before he had realized that it was one of three beds in the room. Sitting up, he looked over at the other two beds. Usagi and Mamoru were snuggled up together in the middle bed, and Suru and Kashikoi were trying to hold a whispered conversation.

'I wonder what Seiya had to say about that,' Yaten wondered briefly before his attention was turned to Minako. She was looking up at him, smiling sheepishly.

"Gomen, Yaten-kun," she whispered.

He shook his head, and lay back down. Taking her hand, Yaten leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Daijobu, Mina."

Minako's eyes brightened and widened at the shortened version of her name. 'Mina,' she sighed mentally. 'He called me Mina.'

"Don't think too much, Mina," he continued. "Just get some sleep." Closing his eyes, he held onto her hand when she tried to pull it away. As he drifted off to sleep he could hear her whisper his name.

On the third bed of the room, there was a soft conversation going on.

"Suru, you have got to tell her," Kashikoi whispered urgently. "I have tried to keep a distance from Seiya-kun," here she blushed before hurrying on. "We shouldn't get involved with them. They belong here on the Earth when this battle is done. We don't."

Shaking his head, Suru didn't answer. He put one of his fingers on her lips to keep her quiet. "I know, Ka-chan, I know," he eventually whispered to her.

"I think I'm falling in love," Kashikoi confessed quietly.

"So am I."

On the end of the bed Usagi and Mamoru slept in, Luna and Artemis curled together. Each tried to ignore all of the noise around them. Luna, however, couldn't help but hear the whispered conversation from the next bed. 'What does she mean that they don't belong on Earth?'

* * *

There was a rustling of covers and a quiet giggle. The moonlight through the window was broken by a pillow passing through, hitting an occupant of the bed that making all of the noise. 

"Jeez," Nephrite said. "You should have taken the single room, Kunzite, Zoicite."

Beside him on the floor, Jadeite laughed. On the other side of him, Suhai rolled over, determinedly trying to ignore all of the noise. Finally giving up, he sat up and grouched, "Take pity on those who don't have a bed, please."

There was giggling from the other bed, where Makoto, Rei, and Ami were trying to compete for space to sleep. Makoto sat up and laughed at the men who were trying to calm down on the other bed.

"Shut up," she said. "It's not like you haven't been talking, Seiya. Can we get a little sleep here?"

"Mako-chan," Rei said softly. "You're on my hair."

"Gomen, Rei-chan. Here..."

"Now you're on me, Makoto-chan," came a soft, sleepy voice.

"Sorry, Ami-chan."

The struggle resumed for space as the men in the room laughed, until there was a banging on the wall. "Shut Up!" came a loud cry from the room where the rest, except Setsuna, were trying to sleep.

"Gomen," came a chorus as Haruka turned to gather Michiru back into her arms.

"Baka..."

"Ruka, forget it," Michiru said softly, trying not to wake the others up, although they probably already were thanks to the yelling. "Just go back to sleep."

Haruka nodded, and looked across the room. Motoki and Unazumi were on the bed to the left, each on opposite sides of the bed. She smiled slightly, remembering the fight between the siblings about the sleeping arrangements. Unazumi had wanted to share a bed with Suru, but there was no way Motoki was going to let his little sister sleep in the same bed as him. Shaking her head, Haruka shifted her attention over to Hotaru, who slept on the sofa bed that was in the room. On the floor next to her lay Shingo, who was facing the bed. Mentally laughing at the remembrance of Setsuna's face when Hotaru had put her foot down at being with Shingo, she lay down, gathering Michiru into her arms.

The house settled into sleep as most of its inhabitants did. Setsuna lay awake in the room that she was alone in, staring up at the ceiling. She could hear snores coming from down the hallway, along with sighs, and the occasional "itai" coming from the bed which Makoto, Rei, and Ami were sleeping in. Stifling an exasperated sigh, she looked at the door as there was a soft knock on it. The door opened, revealing Kashikoi standing there, a tray in her hands.

"I figured you wouldn't be sleeping," she said as she brought the tray over. Setting it down, she handed Setsuna a cup and took the other one for herself. She plopped down on the foot of the bed and looked at Setsuna. "Ok. Spill it."

"Nani?" Setsuna looked at the other woman with a calm look on her face.

"I know that you're thinking about what's going to happen, so spill," Kashikoi said softly. "Don't think that I don't know that expression."

There was a look of shock on the senshi of time's face. Only Hotaru had been able to even see half of what went on behind her mask. Sighing, she remembered that this goddess before her had been half-raised by Saturn on Olympus.

"And why are you awake," she asked, hoping to get off the subject. She was surprised when a blush answered her.

Kashikoi shook her head. "Trying to think of a way to stay."

"Aa," Setsuna said. She had seen the looks that her 'sister' had given the lead singer of the ThreeLights, and the looks she had gotten in return. "I understand. I have had the same problem throughout my guarding time."

Nodding, Kashikoi took a sip of tea. "Please, get some sleep, 'na-chan."

Setsuna looked up at this. There was something familiar about this line, and she searched her mind for it. She saw Kashikoi looking at her, her bright golden eyes shining at her. They didn't expect for her to know all like the other senshi did. She was startled when she felt a cool hand on her arm.

"Daijobu, sis," Kashikoi said as she got up. "I'm sure that Saturn would _not_ want you to worry like you are. I'm also pretty sure that Usagi doesn't expect you to know everything, so just let it slide for once, ne?"

Setsuna looked bewildered as Kashikoi slid out the door, as if walking on air. She couldn't know that the other girl had a huge smile on her face, as if she knew something that nobody else did. She looked down into her teacup, wondering what was in it before taking a sip.

'Chamomile. The only person who knew I liked this tea was...' She drifted off into sleep. As she dreamed, she could still taste the tea. Setsuna had been dreaming about playing tea with a little girl and an older man when she sat up, suddenly excited by what she thought. She got out of bed quickly and silently, trying to catch up to Kashikoi. Looking in the room that she had taken, she only found the princess and prince, Minako, Yaten, Suru, and the cats sleeping soundly.

Looking in the other rooms, she didn't find her, but stopped as she heard humming coming from downstairs. She hurried down the stairs and blew into the kitchen. She stopped when she saw Kashikoi standing at the stove fixing a lot of food for breakfast. She was wearing an apron over some clothes that Setsuna hadn't seen before.

Hearing a noise, Kashikoi turned and smiled. "Hungry? It's almost time for everybody to get up."

Setsuna looked out the window, surprised to find that the sun was rising. "How?"

Shaking her head, Kashikoi shook the spatula at her before turning back to the stove. "You just get up the stairs and wake everybody up, ok? We can talk later."

"Hai, sister," Setsuna said softly. She went up the stairs, leaving Kashikoi in the kitchen, tears in her eyes.

"Sister."

Setsuna stopped in the first bedroom, finding everybody sprawled across the other or the bed as the case may be. She went over to the middle bed and saw her princess and her prince in each other's arms, Luna and Artemis stretched across their feet. 'It's almost a shame that I have to wake them.' She looked over and saw Minako was sleeping on _top_ of Yaten, who was looking slightly squished, but apparently not minding it because he was still sleeping. Suru, on the other bed, had taken over the bed and was snoring in between the pillows.

"Princess," Setsuna said quite loudly.

"Five more minutes, mom," Usagi sleepily requested. Her nose wrinkled when she remembered where she was. "Mamo-chan, tell mom not to wake me up."

Mamoru opened one eye, which rested on Setsuna. Startled, he sat up and let go of Usagi, who plopped back down on the bed.

"Itai!" came a loud wail.

"Usagi..." Minako was not happy with the wake-up call given by Usagi. She snuggled back into her pillow, which started to move. Lifting her head, she looked down into Yaten's eyes. "Um... oops," she muttered, rolling off of him.

"No...problem, Mina," Yaten groaned as she stuck her elbow in his stomach. "Glad to oblige."

Usagi laughed and looked over at the other bed after watching the drama of Minako wake up. She saw Suru snoring softly on the other bed. Somehow he had managed to sleep through her wailing and was still lost in dreamland. She looked up at Mamoru, who was still shaking his head at Minako and Yaten. He looked down at her when she tugged at his sleeve.

Following her finger, he saw something that he thought he would never see: the person that could truly sleep through anything. He had thought that Usagi was bad, but Suru was worse. He watched as the door opened, revealing Kashikoi in an apron. Winking at the others in the room, she ran over and jumped on Suru, yelling at the top of her lungs.

The rest of the household was startled awake by the yell, but not Suru. As the group straggled into the doorway of the first bedroom, they found Kashikoi bouncing up and down on Suru, who wasn't waking up.

"Come on, sleepyhead! There's food downstairs!"

"Food?" Usagi asked.

Kashikoi nodded her head exaggeratingly. "Yep, and it's all gonna be gone by the time _somebody_ wakes up!" She bounced a couple of more times before getting off the bed. She went over to stand next to Setsuna as the rest of the group came in through the door. "There's pancakes and other stuff downstairs. I wasn't sure what everybody liked, so I made lots of different things."

"Wow!" Shingo and Usagi said in unison, their eyes lighting up at the mention of all different sorts of foods. Everybody else laughed as they raced down the stairs. They could hear chairs being pulled out and more exclamations.

Mamoru put his hand up to his head, rubbing tiredly. Rei went over to him. "Maybe she'll get better when we're older," she said.

"Maybe not," Kashikoi said with a wink. She pointed over at Suru who was still sleeping. "He certainly hasn't gotten better at waking up since we were little." She looked over at her best friend before dragging Setsuna behind her as she went down the stairs.

The others were startled at this behavior. Setsuna actually let somebody else lead?

Unazumi waited for the others to file out of the room. Once they were all gone, she went over to Suru, who snored peacefully.

"Suru," she whispered, letting her hand slide against his cheek.

"Huh?" was the sleepy reply.

"It's time to get up."

"'m tay," Suru said, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes. "Where is everybody?"

"They're downstairs," Unazumi answered. "They went down there after Kashikoi-san tried to wake you up."

A sweat drop trickled down the side of his face as it turned red. "Everybody saw?"

A nod was his answer.

Suru smiled sheepishly and got off the bed. "Well, we might as well go eat."

Walking into the kitchen, the two discovered the table laid out perfectly, everybody happily chowing down on the delicious food.

"Oishii," Seiya was saying at the other end of the table. "But you must have been up for hours to do all this."

Kashikoi blushed as everybody stared at her. "Um, I couldn't sleep, so I thought I just would do something nice for you all."

"Arigato," Setsuna said. When they had gotten to the kitchen, the others had found Usagi and Shingo sitting at one end of the table, eating, and Kashikoi and Setsuna at the other, starting to put food on their plates. Hotaru looked at Setsuna strangely for a couple of seconds before going and sitting next to Shingo.

Yaten and Taiki laughed with each other as they saw Seiya go down to the other end, sitting next to Kashikoi, before their attention was taken up by others. Minako dragged Yaten down to the middle. "We sit here," she said.

The generals laughed at the ensuing mayhem as they scrambled for a seat. Jadeite found himself sitting next to Makoto, who blushed before offering him some meat.

"Arigato," he said softly, taking the dish.

Rei looked across the table to see Makoto flirting gently with Jadeite. Shaking her head, she looked down the table for toast and found herself looking into Suhai's black eyes. She blushed before looking the other way to find her princess with her mouth full. She held back the giggle as she dug into her food, having forgotten about the toast.

* * *

Setsuna looked over at Kashikoi, who was fidgeting slightly on the bench in the garden. She looked up at the house where they had found shelter, and wondered where this woman next to her had found the clothes that everyone was now sporting. She could still hear the gleeful squeals of Usagi and Hotaru as they found something cute that they had always wanted to wear. 

"Um," Kashikoi finally decided to say. "I suppose you want to know how I know."

"Know what," Setsuna asked, hoping to find out what was going on. Was this young woman really who she thought it was?

"When you were growing up, do you remember a man with a red car that always drove down the street at 5:30 every night?"

Startled by the question, Setsuna could only answer truthfully. "Hai."

"And do you remember the lady that always walked her dog every afternoon when school let out, so that she could find some boy to walk it?"

"Hai."

"You are her."

Shocked, Setsuna looked at Kashikoi. "What?"

"Only somebody who knew me before I was six would know these things. Suru and I became friends when I was eight, two years after I was taken from the only home that I had ever really known," Kashikoi said sadly. She hunched her shoulders over, hiding her eyes under her hair.

Setsuna looked over at her. She could remember these things when she was growing up, but only vaguely. There was something blocking her memories of the past. She searched for something, anything, that would connect these two people with this woman next to her. She couldn't remember much of her younger years. They were cloudy, hidden behind the memories of the Silver Millennium.

Kashikoi looked at her quickly before turning her head again. "I grew up in a foster home from the day I turned five until I was six. Up until that time, I was with my sister, who with me had survived the fire that killed the rest of our family. I was the youngest of seven, and my sister, the oldest child, were the only ones left. When I was six, she was adopted by a family that didn't seem to care that there was a younger sibling. My sister was eight years older than I, and was almost too old to be adopted.

"I cried for a month, refusing to meet any prospective parents. It was only until my mother came and looked me in the eye, not backing down from my stare, that I started to care again. From that point, she was my mother, the one who would look after me. I was adopted by her and her husband, and the three of us moved away from Tokyo. When I was eight, Suru and his family moved in down the street and we've been friends ever since then.

"When I lost my sister, after losing my family, was almost more than I could bear," Kashikoi said, watching an ant march across the path. "I have heard a little of the story from the others that Mamoru-san suffered the same."

She stopped for a moment with a deep sigh, looking out over the flowers that were trying to bloom in the freshly created landscape. "I had been hoping that I would be able to track her down, but Beryl started her plans before I could. I hadn't been able to open my records until I was eighteen, and I had my birthday the day before I found out who I really am."

Kashikoi put her head in her hands. "I had hoped that I would be able to stop this before all of this happened." She raised her head and watched Setsuna with bright eyes, tears glimmering in the corners. "When Saturn granted you his power, I felt a shock run through me. My memories of Olympus and my time here on Earth were slammed together, the force rocked me so. I suddenly saw whom I had been searching for, but I was also suddenly unsure of myself. What if I was wrong? I couldn't bear the pain if I was, so I hid my troubles from the rest of you. Last night, though, I came to the realization that if I hid behind my laughter, nothing would ever get resolved. So when I brought you tea last night, I watched your eyes. Imagine my thoughts of seeing the same eyes as my sister's staring back at me. I had called you sister when Saturn was still with us physically, since I had felt close to you back then. Now I know you are my sister."

She started to sob quietly as Setsuna watched. As Kashikoi had told the story, it had seemed more and more familiar, as if she too had lived it. Suddenly it all clicked together, the last piece of the puzzle fitting, shaping the whole picture. Tears in her eyes, she hugged her sister. "I am glad that you found me, koinu1," she whispered in Kashikoi's ear. "I'm so glad."

On the other side of the bushes behind the two, Usagi sat wiping tears from her eyes. Next to her Seiya sat with a stunned expression on his face, and behind the both of them Hotaru just looked on in awe, Luna huffing quietly about eavesdropping on other people's conversations. The three humans had been intrigued by Kashikoi pulling Setsuna out of the kitchen after breakfast, not giving her time to talk to anybody. Kashikoi had said that since she had cooked, it was not up to her who cleaned, so long as it was done. She had put a scowl on her face, meaning that if it wasn't clean when she came back, somebody would get hurt. They had left a moment of silence in their wake, which was soon consumed by mass panic.

Usagi had watched the pair go out the door with a strange expression on her face. Looking over the others, she had found Seiya and Hotaru watching them as well. Signaling them, she led the three of them into the garden, finding a hiding place, Luna following close behind. Now as they watched, the four of them tried to leave as silently as they had come. However, Rei had different ideas.

"Usagi..."

All six looked up at the senshi of fire, who was standing behind the group in the bushes, Artemis on her shoulder.

"Um, hi, Rei," Usagi stammered, looking for a good excuse.

"I've been looking all over for you, and where do I find you but in the bushes." Rei breathed fire on her princess, not really paying attention to the others.

"Rei-san," called a soft voice from in front of Usagi.

Looking up, she saw Setsuna standing before her, hands on hips, almost glaring at her.

"Nani?"

There was a sniffle from Kashikoi, who looked at the others before turning away, running towards the front of the house. Seiya got up quickly and ran to catch her.

"Good going, Rei-chan," Usagi said.

"And what were you doing, princess?" Setsuna asked quietly.

"Um," Usagi searched for an answer when Hotaru spoke up,

"We wanted to know what was going on, Setsuna-mama." Hotaru paused to look at Setsuna carefully. "Do I have an aunt?"

Setsuna nodded once. "Please let me and koinu(1) tell the others, please." She left and went back indoors.

"Koinu?" Those left looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

* * *

Seiya caught Kashikoi's shoulder and turned her around. He wasn't prepared for the emotion pouring from her eyes. He could see tear tracks running down her cheeks, which were tinged pink. 

"Hush," he said as he pulled her in a hug. "Don't cry."

Sobbing again, Kashikoi buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. Hugging him tight, she tried to regain some control. The effort of getting the truth out took a lot more than she had expected. Never in a million years had she really expected to find her sister so close to her. She wrapped her arms closer around Seiya's waist, holding tight.

Seiya stood there, just holding this young woman. After hearing what she had had to say, he could understand why she was crying. He wondered what had happened to Kakyuu after they had left. It seemed so long ago, but he knew that time had flown so fast for them, it was as if no time had passed. He looked up at the house to find Minako hanging out the window, giving him a thumbs up before Yaten pulled her back in.

Sighing, he shifted as Kashikoi pulled back slightly.

"Gomen, Seiya-kun," she said softly. "I didn't mean to become a watering pot." She petted his shoulder, trying to mop up the salt water from his shirt.

"Ah," he answered, turning red. "No...no problem."

Realizing what she had been doing, Kashikoi pulled her hand away and stepped back. Her cheeks still slightly pink, she looked up at Seiya with bright eyes. They no longer held a trace of tears, but still retain some sadness. Rising up on her toes, she kissed his cheek. "Arigato," she said quickly and started back to the house.

"Kashikoi," Seiya said.

"Hai?"

"Please, stay out here with me for a while?"

Nodding, she went back over to him. "Sure. What do you want to do?"

He didn't answer as he lowered his head. Holding her chin in one hand, he softly brushed his lips against hers and pulled back. Kashikoi stared at him, bringing her fingers up to touch.

"Wow," she muttered.

Seiya laughed. "Am I really that good a kisser?"

"Oh you," Kashikoi said, punching him lightly in the arm. She looked back at him and nodded. "Um, yeah. I guess you are."

"I am? How do you know?"

"Well, I don't know, but from what I've heard the others say, it would rate pretty high."

Seiya looked at her. "What...others say?"

Kashikoi nodded shyly and blushed. "Um...that was my first kiss."

"Well," he said. "How about I give you another to compare?" With that he kissed her again, this time longer. He brushed his lips across her cheeks and eyelids before making his way back to her lips.

In the window, Minako was silently cheering as Yaten watched with a smile on his face.

"I didn't think he had it in him," she said to him. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Saa, what are you going to do that will beat that?"

Yaten sweat dropped before coming back with an answering kiss, hot enough to quiet Minako.

* * *

The generals were out in the back of the house. They, as well as their prince, had gotten stuck with the breakfast dishes. Now, the four of them were relaxing, listening to the mayhem that floated through the air. They were interrupted briefly as Motoki chased Suru through the garden, but were once again left in peace. 

"Did we ever act like that when we were younger?" asked Zoicite as he snuggled into Kunzite.

"I doubt it," Nephrite said with a slight smile.

"Yes, you did," came a voice behind them. All four turned and found Setsuna standing in the doorway. There was a trace of faint red around her eyes, and Jadeite studied her closely. She looked over at him and nodded before coming out to them. "I seem to remember an incident that involved a young girl, her father's horse, and a chicken."

The four men looked distinctly embarrassed by the mention of this and each searched for a new subject.

Jadeite spoke up, "Setsuna-san, what's the matter?"

The other generals looked at him as if he was crazy, and were surprised by the response.

"No, nothing's the matter. In fact I have had some good news, but it will have to wait for later. I was wondering what you would recommend I fix for lunch."

Nephrite stood up. "Please, let me help. I really don't know what the others will want, but at least allow me to participate."

Makoto hung out the kitchen. "Setsuna-chan, what do they want for lunch so I know what to make." She looked out and saw Jadeite, but didn't see the others. "Um, Jadeite-san, what would you care for?"

The other generals looked at Jadeite, smirking behind upraised hands. They watched as the blond man stood and hurried over to the door. They really started laughing when they caught what he was saying. "Whatever you cook is good enough for me, Makoto-san."

"How cheesy," Kunzite said.

Setsuna shook her head and wandered through the garden. As she searched for the others, she thought over what had happened earlier this morning. She still couldn't believe that her sister was with her once more. More than once she had believed that those memories were a remnant of a story told by the woman who had raised her. Now, as she thought about it, she could still see the blue-green eyes watching her as she stared out of the back window leaving the orphanage.

She came across Rei and Ami, who were walking by the shore of the pond farther in back of the house. Off in the distance, she could see Taiki watching the pair while he talked with Suhai and Unazumi. As she came up to them, Motoki came up swiftly. Stifling laughter, she wondered what had brought her such joy these last couple of days. Sighing, she grabbed a hold of Motoki's shirt and stopped him. As she did, she was hit by a sudden urge that wanted to come out and play.

"Motoki-san, please don't chase Suru-san," she chided.

Hanging his head for a brief moment, he raised his eyes to the sky. "I found him kissing my sister! Now I'm going to have to beat him." He pounded his fist into his other hand, emphasizing each word.

Setsuna put a hand on his arm, calming him down. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Suru snuck over to Unazumi. There was a slight catch in her breath to alert Motoki to what happened next. As he searched for his sister's boyfriend, he was startled by a pair of lips on his. Taking a step back, he saw Setsuna's face close to his. Smiling, she kissed him again and he slowly started to respond, wondering what imp had gotten into her. He didn't wonder too long because he was definitely starting to like this.

The others around the pond stared in shock. Setsuna? Motoki? Rei and Ami looked at each other, wondering what the world was coming to. They had never seen the senshi of time do something like kissing in public, even in the past. On the other side of the pond, the others watched as the kiss got deeper and deeper, until Unazumi made a sound of disgust.

"Onii-chan wanted to beat you up for kissing me, but he goes ahead and kisses her," she pouted to Suru. The three males hid their laughter at her whining and watched the show. None of them had expected those two to do this, since both were older than them, and Setsuna was so mysterious that no one could really have expected her to do this.

Looking out the window of one of the bedrooms, Mamoru looked out onto the front yard. He could see Seiya and Kashikoi talking while they walked slowly across it. As he watched, he saw them stop and Seiya lean down to kiss her. 'I'm glad he found somebody,' he thought, his jealousy about what had happened between him and Usagi fading a bit. He moved to the big bedroom at the back of the house and looked out the window, catching a glimpse of what was happening back at the pond. Shaking his head, he looked towards the door as he heard Usagi bouncing in.

"It's a kissing fest out there," she announced happily, Luna tagging at her heels. She ran over and hugged him. "I'm so happy for them!"

"Aa," Mamoru said softly. He gathered his princess into his arms and kissed the tip of her nose. "Shall we see what's going on in the kitchen?"

Her mood quickly switching to food, as he knew it would, she pulled him down the stairs. They stopped in the doorway when they found that it was full of gawkers. Makoto and Hotaru were glued to one window, while the generals were laughing at another one. Shingo watched from the doorway, trying to keep from laughing.

They heard a noise behind them and found Minako and Yaten.

"What's going on?" Minako looked over their shoulders when they pointed out the window. Her eyes widened when she saw what was happening. "Wow, I didn't know that that was physically possible! Can we try?"

Everybody in the kitchen face faulted as they turned to stare at her.

"What!"

Yaten pulled her back into the hallway. "Don't ask," he said quietly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Seiya and Kashikoi come in the front door, troubled looks on their faces.

The four went into the kitchen as the sightseers from outside ambled in, shock still written across their faces. Behind them, Setsuna and Motoki pulled apart and stared at each other.

A chill ran up Setsuna's spine and a pained look crossed her face.

Motoki watched as the glow from their kiss was replaced by her usual stoic mask. "Trouble's coming, isn't it?"

Setsuna nodded. "We must get to the house quickly."

Once they made it into the kitchen, their faces, as well as the faces of Kashikoi and Seiya sobered the group up.

"We've got trouble," Kashikoi said in a serious voice.

"And it's at the front door," Seiya added.

Just then the doorbell rang.

* * *

(1) koinu-puppy 


	11. Chapter 11: Reawaken

AN: This is the second of two chapters uploaded. Read the other one first! )

Chapter 11: Reawaken

* * *

There was little panic as the doorbell continued to ring. Each senshi transformed quietly as the goddesses and gods there swiftly changed as well. The generals prepared themselves for the coming battle, almost knowing for certain that it was Beryl. 

Endymion looked over at Sailor Moon. With her wings behind her, she looked like an angel. He went over to her, standing close behind her to her right. He could feel Vulcan stand to her right, with the senshi and generals surrounding them. On the outer guards were the others, standing proudly in their togas and sandals. A brief thought ran through his head, wondering if they ever got cold in those things, before he dismissed it. He had seen the senshi in their short skirts for almost longer than he could remember and had stopped thinking about it long ago. His attention was brought back to the present by a loud shout from in front.

Janus left the kitchen, going towards the front. He signaled to the others to leave out the back, so that they could go around and attack on the sides. Opening the door, he found a startled Beryl.

The former queen of the Dark Kingdom was surprised to find him there. She had been so wrapped up in her plan for revenge that she had forgotten her enemies had new allies. Looking at the god in the doorway, she pinned him with a stare. She was amazed when she found she had to look away first, defeated for what seemed the millionth time since she had began this campaign.

There was a noise on her right and she found the outer senshi, along with Demeter, Juno, and Minerva. Looking to her left, she found the rest watching her closely.

"Beryl," Sailor Moon said in a low voice. "Leave now."

Giving an evil cackle, Beryl shook her head. "There is no way that I will do that, Moon Princess," she spat the words out. She pointed behind them. "Not with this army, at least. Or do you think that you could win now?"

The senshi looked around, finding themselves surrounded by Beryl's troops. There were hundreds more than they had seen in previous battles.

Luna and Artemis looked over the scene, wishing that they could help. They had been forced to watch everything that had happened and not be able to participate. They almost felt forgotten, standing on the sidelines. As the senshi had found new friends, the two cats had been neglected.

The cats watched as the senshi were hit by immense waves of energy, extinguishing their own attacks as if they were candles in the wind. Even those that were immortal took heavy damage as they, too, seemed powerless against Beryl's army.

Luna looked up at the sky and saw the moon starting to rise in the evening light. 'Queen Serenity,' she prayed. 'Please help your daughter and her friends. Please let me help fight this battle!'

Artemis was praying himself, wishing that he could wield anything against this raging horde before them. As he did so, he, too, looked up at the moon.

On Sailor Moon's chest, the silver crystal reacted, sending out a bright light, blinding those in its path. Beryl's troops were temporarily stunned, leaving an opening for those around Sailor Moon to protect her.

In the dim recesses of her mind, Sailor Moon could hear the prayers of the two cats and another voice as well. She could faintly hear it, but couldn't quite recognize it. Closing her eyes, she felt her fuku melt away, revealing her queen's dress. She still the had wings of Eternal Sailor Moon on her back as she rose in the sky, holding the silver crystal in her hands.

On the ground, everybody stopped at the sight before him. Endymion could feel the golden crystal react to the power the silver crystal was emitting. It started to pulse in the ring on his hand, coming out and settling in front of his chest. He lifted off the ground, his armor becoming the clothing of King Endymion.

Beryl grunted in frustration. This wasn't supposed to happen. She looked over and saw the two cats on the ground, watching. The crescent moons on their foreheads were pulsing in time with the silver crystal. Those cats, they were the ones that had triggered this! Gathering a huge ball of energy, she shot it at them.

Luna and Artemis watched in horror as the energy shot at them. Cringing, they shut their eyes, waiting to get hit. When they didn't, they opened their eyes to see Minerva holding her shield in front of her as the energy continued to slam into it.

Fighting against the energy with the last of her strength, Minerva spoke to the two cats, "Move, now!"

Instinctively they ran in opposite directions as Minerva was blasted back against the house, landing motionless under one of the windows.

"Minerva!" Ceres howled in pain, determined to make her way over as the rest of the senshi and immortals gasped.

Serenity looked down, saddened by this, but knew why Minerva had done it. She watched as Luna and Artemis moved back to the goddess as time seemed to slow. She lifted the silver crystal until it was even with her lips. Kissing it, she raised it over her head to gather the energy within it.

"Princess, no!" Pluto shouted, trying to get away from Beryl's soldiers.

Endymion watched as the silver crystal pulsed quicker and quicker. He felt a warm feeling burst through him in response, but he somehow knew that this was not the time to unleash the power that was within his own crystal. He turned to watch as the silver crystal burst with light, blinding everyone.

Beryl cursed her luck. She didn't seem to be able to get close enough to her prey to unleash her greatest attack. She quickly ran through the portal, vanishing as the silver crystal swept over the land.

Next to Minerva, Ceres was sobbing quietly. She didn't seem to be able to find any signs of life. Luna and Artemis looked on, worried. This goddess had given her life for them? They looked at each other, then realized that Serenity had released the silver crystal's energy. "No! Serenity, don't," Luna cried.

Artemis went to step forward and found he couldn't move as the energy flashed through him.

There was a bright flash of light. Lessening, the light revealed the front lawn of the great house to be cleaned of the troops, Beryl nowhere in sight. Endymion knew that she had escaped once more, and vowed to beat her once and for all. As the light entirely faded, something caught his eye. Next to where Ceres sat next to Minerva were two people that he had never seen before. Somehow he knew that they were a part of the group, but the connection was fuzzy to him.

Next to him, he could feel Serenity waver as her energy dropped. Concentrating, he picked her up in his arms and floated back to the ground, laying her there as she became Usagi once more.

The others split into two groups, changing back to normal. Suru ran over to Minerva, who had yet to change back. Seiya sat next to her, holding one of her hands up to his cheek. Setsuna bent over and placed her hand on Minerva's forehead. As she did, Minerva suddenly became Kashikoi in a blindingly brief light that pulsed softly a couple of times before fading.

"She'll be ok," Setsuna said, relieved. She had thought that her sister would be taken from her before she ever really got to know her.

Seiya nodded jerkily before taking Kashikoi into his arms and carried her into the house.

Yaten looked over at him as he stood next to Minako, who was anxiously chattering to Usagi. He turned back when he heard Usagi say that all she wanted was a nap, then food, then another nap.

Those gathered around her sweat dropped as she drifted off to sleep.

The two strangers walked over, hovering nervously. The woman kept on smoothing down her yellow skirt while the man tugged at his white shirt. There was something about these two that was very familiar to the senshi, but none of them could put a finger on it. The white-haired man looked at the woman in surprise. "Luna?"

The woman nodded, watching her hair blow in the soft breeze. "Artemis?"

The others were shocked. They looked at the two closer.

"What...?" Mina looked at the two in surprise. It was the two cats' voices, but they were human. Dimly she could remember that they could change back and forth from human to cat in the past, but she hadn't realized that they could do so now. She pulled on Yaten's sleeve and stood up with him. She tugged on Luna and Artemis' arms, taking them inside the house behind Mamoru, who carried Usagi in his arms.

After Usagi was settled on the couch for the moment, the others looked at Luna and Artemis more closely. As they watched, Artemis let out a groan and shrank back into a cat, Luna following soon after. Stretching painfully, everybody in the living room watched in a kind of grotesque fascination as Luna and Artemis did so. They lost the clothing briefly, their bodies rapidly getting smaller and growing fur again.

"Ow," Artemis complained. "That hurts!"

Luna jumped onto the back of the couch and looked down at Usagi. "That took a lot out of her, poor thing. I wonder why she did that? I mean, I know that she would miss us, but why did the both of them risk their lives for Artemis and myself?"

Kunzite came over to stand next to Mamoru. "I think I know."

Everybody looked at him, wondering what it was.

"The silver crystal reacted to the pain in Sailor Moon's heart and decided that it would help in its own way. I'm not sure why Minerva would step in front of the blast."

Suhai stepped out of the kitchen, catching the tail end of Kunzite's theory. "It's because everybody in this group is important to what will happen next."

The others looked at him strangely: the senshi because they didn't quite believe why _he_ would know; and the immortals because he was giving out information that really wasn't supposed to be known by those human.

Suhai looked at the immortals, who were frowning. "Stop that." Everybody was startled by the sharp tone of his voice. "They have a right to know. After all, they hold the power of the gods in them."

Taiki nodded slowly, looking at Ami out of the corner of his eye. "I agree with that." His eyes, however, sent a message to the others that they needed to speak soon.

Unazumi looked up at the ceiling, nodding her head, before she moved to stand by Makoto. "The first thing that I want everybody to know is..."

The others watched her carefully.

"...that I'm hungry." Everybody face faulted as Unazumi tugged on Makoto's arm. "Will you make me something?"

"Hai, hai," Makoto said, trying to pull her arm away as she was dragged into the kitchen.

Suru walked behind them shaking his head. "Almost as bad as Ka-chan," he muttered. "What have I gotten myself into?"

As the group straggled into the kitchen, they found Makoto fixing a couple of trays. Some sat down at the table, others helping Makoto make dinner. It was fasting approaching 9 pm and they were all starving from fighting.

Makoto grabbed a tray and handed it to Ami. "Here. Take this upstairs and give it to Seiya or Setsuna." She grabbed the other one and handed it to Shingo. "Give this to your sister."

Both looked down to find a bowl of water for bathing, a glass, and a pitcher of drinking water, along with a couple of towels.

"You expect me to give Usagi a bath?" Shingo was shaking his head.

Hotaru jumped up. "I'll help you, Shingo-kun."

Taiki came over and took the tray from Ami. "I'll carry this up for you," he said.

Ami's cheeks turned slightly pink as she nodded and went through the door.

* * *

Seiya lay Kashikoi gently down on the bed in Setsuna's room. He had brought her here, knowing that she wouldn't be disturbed. 

"I would thank you," Setsuna said, entering the room. "But I know that you would have done this regardless."

Shaking his head, Seiya bent down and kissed Kashikoi on the cheek before standing. "Why...?"

Setsuna thought for a moment, her face showing no emotion. "I cannot see why. The future is cloudy."

Both of their heads swiveled as they heard someone enter the room. They saw Ami and Taiki bringing in a tray, trying not to touch each other in an obvious way. "This is for Kashikoi-chan," Ami said. "This will help her get more comfortable."

A slight tinge of pink on his cheeks, Taiki nodded. He handed Setsuna some clothing.

Seiya suddenly understood what could make the other man so embarrassed and blushed lightly himself.

Setsuna stifled a sigh and shooed everyone out, but let Luna in when she refused to step from the doorway. Moving over to the bed, the senshi of time got her sister into more comfortable clothing and put a cool cloth on her head.

Luna jumped up on the bed, curling up next to her.

Setsuna looked at her questioningly.

"She saved me," Luna said softly. "This is the least I can do to help her recover."

Nodding, Setsuna left the room, turning off the lights. Through the window the moon glowed softly as it made its way across the night sky. Luna drifted off to sleep, cuddling next to Kashikoi.

As the house settled down for the night, there were strange dreams running through Luna's head. Each offered a tantalizing glimpse of the future, but never showed her in it.

Luna woke up from the dream, shaking her head. Sometimes knowing the future could really stink. The parts that she could remember from their trip into the future were vague, but the dream had brought them into the present.

She looked up at the moon, wondering why she had been so drawn to it lately. She was startled as Kashikoi moved her hand to pet her.

"Hi," came a sleepy voice. "I'm glad you're all right."

Luna looked at the young woman. This girl, really, who had risked her life for her. "Why?"

Kashikoi turned on her side so that she faced the window. She hugged Luna to her chest as she watched the moon. "Because you are important in the upcoming battle."

Luna looked at her for a moment before asking, "Did Setsuna teach you tricks on how to be mysterious, yet offer a taste of the future?"

Giggling softly, Kashikoi snuggled into the covers. "No. I learned this all on m' own." She yawned, her mouth a huge cavern as she struggled to cover it. "S'rry. 'm tired."

"Go to sleep, Kashikoi-san."

Watching as the woman fell back asleep, Luna heard a scratch at the door. She saw Artemis come in, casually jumping onto the bed. He stopped when he saw the position Luna was in. A little jealous, he walked over to her and nuzzled her side.

Luna closed her eyes, trying to block all of the feelings that Artemis brought up to the surface. She knew, deep down inside, that they were meant to be. After all, there was Diana as proof of that. Drifting off to sleep, she purred lightly, weaving Artemis into sleep as well.

* * *

Luna woke up suddenly, startled by the shift in scenery. She knew that she was awake, but she was no longer in bed with Kashikoi. Next to her was Artemis looking around, confused. He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he was as clueless as her. 

"Don't be alarmed," came a feminine voice from behind them.

They turned around to find an enchanting woman standing proudly with a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. Behind her was a pack of dogs, sitting neatly behind her. One dog sat next to her, its blue eyes bright. It smiled and went over to the two cats, sniffing softly before licking Luna. The dog nudged Artemis in the side before returning to the woman's side.

"I see that Mathias has deemed you worthy," the woman laughingly said. She reached down and patted the dog on his head. "Mathias has always been a good judge of those who have kind and noble hearts, and you, Luna, Artemis, have them."

"How...? Why are we here," Luna asked.

"I am Diana," the woman said. "I have come to grant you your power. I heard your prayers to help those you seek to protect, and I will heed them."

Diana bade them to follow her into the garden they stood outside of. A soft, white light permeated the air, heavy with the scent of flowers. Diana sat on a bench, indicating that they should seat themselves next to her.

"I would like to help your young charge, but I am afraid I will not be able to until her young man's champion is awakened."

Artemis looked at the woman. "Why have you chosen now to speak to us?"

"I could only do so because the silver crystal released some of its energy to me, enabling me to awaken fully. I have watched over the rulers of this moon since the beginning of Olympus, helping them to guide the moon into prosperity." Her face saddened at a thought.

"I was unable to protect its people when they were attacked, and I have regretted it ever since. In my slumber, I could only dream about the terror that plagued those that lived here on the moon."

"The moon?" Luna looked over at Artemis before returning her attention to Diana.

Nodding, Diana looked over the garden. "You should both recognize this place, having lived here before."

Both cats gazed about the garden, finding that she was right. This was the garden at the Moon Palace.

"I have been able to restore it to its glory tonight because of the energy that I have been given, this energy that I will now give to you."

Luna and Artemis felt themselves become human again, the crescent moons on their foreheads disappearing. They found themselves wearing new clothing - that of the togas the gods and goddesses wore in battle. Looking down, Luna saw that she had the same type of sandals they wore as well, the laces wrapping around her calf up to her knees. She saw that Artemis' laces went halfway up his calf, like the gods' sandals did.

She looked up at Diana, who smiled sweetly.

"I give you this energy, so that you will be able to give it back to the silver crystal when the time comes. Together, it and the golden crystal will then reawaken myself and the guardian of the golden crystal."

She reached out a finger to Luna's forehead, then to Artemis, sending them back to sleep.

* * *

Luna rolled over and bumped into something. She had had the craziest dream. Opening her eyes, she found herself looking into Artemis' eyes, but they were human! She rolled away and bumped into something else. 

"Jeez, you two could wake the dead," came a tired voice. The two cats-turned-human turned and saw Kashikoi yawning and rubbing her cheeks. "Maybe you should go wake up Suru." There was a tired giggle as she tried to get out of bed.

Luna and Artemis looked on in concern as Kashikoi fell out of bed.

"Oops. Haven't got my sea legs back."

"More like you're punch-drunk," came a voice from the doorway. Setsuna rushed over and helped Kashikoi back onto the bed. "Sister, dear, ask for help, ne?"

"I need coffee!"

"Oh," came three voices in unison. Luna and Artemis shook their heads at each other as Setsuna sighed and help Kashikoi get dressed.

* * *

Usagi woke up slowly, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Sitting up, she saw that she was alone on the bed, but Mamoru and Shingo were on the floor. Looking around the room she saw her court on the other two beds. 

There was a soft tap on the door as it opened. Hotaru crept in when she saw that Usagi was awake, but not the others. She climbed onto the bed and sat next to Usagi.

"Sleep well?" she whispered.

Nodding, Usagi held her stomach as it grumbled softly. "I'm hungry now."

The two left the room quietly, leaving the others behind sleeping soundly.

When they reached the kitchen, they saw the generals making breakfast, trying to avoid each other as they scrambled to get the food ready. The turned back to the door as they heard a groan.

"Ugh," Kashikoi said as Setsuna helped her into the kitchen. "This is too early for me. Coffee, now, please." Sitting in a chair, she gratefully accepted the cup of coffee that Zoicite gave to her. She took a careful sip. "Ahh, much better."

The ThreeLights stumbled through the door, enticed by the smell of the food. All of them did a double take when they saw Kashikoi nursing a cup of coffee, Setsuna hovering behind her.

"Excuse me," Luna said behind them. They moved their legs, expecting the cat to walk between their legs like she normally did. She laughed and they turned.

All jaws, except Setsuna's and Kashikoi's, dropped in amazement. Luna had become a human again, her black hair waving around her t-shirt clad shoulders. She giggled and moved into the kitchen, grabbing a cup of coffee out of Kunzite's hands before it fell on the floor.

"Jeez," Kunzite complained. "Do the showy entrance thing, will you?"

Setsuna face faulted, but the others just stared as Artemis walked in through the door leading from outside.

"Ohayo!" He moved over to pour some coffee and reached over the stove, flipping the bacon that was starting to burn. "Better watch the food, Nephrite, or there won't be anything to eat!"

Luna and Artemis sat at the table next to Kashikoi, who drained her cup.

"More," she said. She got up and gathered more supplies, starting on her second cup.

Usagi went over to sit next to Luna. "When did you get to be human? I know that the silver crystal changed you yesterday, but how...?"

Artemis shook his head, his white hair swaying against his back. "Don't worry, Usagi-chan. We will tell you as soon as we've eaten. After all, we had a very long trip last night." Luna laughed and Artemis joined in.

Jadeite wondered what had happened, but he wasn't going to question it too much until he got breakfast. His thoughts stopped as he saw Makoto wander into the kitchen. Her hair was a little flyaway from sleeping. She looked adorable, her green eyes tiredly looking around the kitchen. He grabbed a coffee cup from Zoicite and took it over to Makoto as she sat in the middle of the table. "Here."

"Um, arigato," Makoto said. Taking a sip, she leaned back against the chair. "Good way to start the morning."

Zoicite looked at his hand, at Jadeite, then at his hand as a cup was put in it. Kunzite's eyes smiled down at him. "Don't worry about it. We can get him back later," he said, chuckling softly. Nodding, Zoicite smiled before taking a drink.

Yaten looked over at the doorway as Minako stumbled through it. "Mina," he said softly to her. "Sleep well?"

She nodded, hiding a huge yawn behind her hand. "Too late of a night for me, I guess."

Yaten set her down in a chair and grabbed a plate as Nephrite dished up the food on the stove. Grabbing some juice, he brought it and a full plate and put them in front of Minako, who smiled her thanks at him as she dug in.

"Hey, where's mine?" Haruka wanted to know as she came in from outside. There was a sheen of sweat on her face, her hair messy from the wind. It was obvious that she had been exercising.

"Right here," Jadeite said, teasing her by rubbing his belly. "And it was good!"

Haruka lifted a hand and punched his arm lightly. "Alright, wise guy. Show me the real food."

The rest of the group straggled in as breakfast progressed. When they finished eating, they all went into the living room to find seats.

Kashikoi hurried over to one of the big, comfy chairs and settled in. Setsuna sighed and went over to sit by Motoki, who was watching Suru like a hawk. Rei shyly sat next to Suhai, who was talking with Nephrite about what happened yesterday. Suhai turned his head and winked at Rei, who blushed as turned to look around the room.

Usagi and Mamoru were cuddled up on one end of the couch, Kunzite and Zoicite on the other. Ami and Taiki were seated close to each other, both of them trying not to watch the other. 'Those two really need a push to get together,' Rei thought. 'Even facing Tisiphone wasn't quite enough.' An idea popped into her head as she smirked.

Minako saw Rei with a weird smile on her face. She went over to sit by her, dragging Yaten over with her. He tried not to listen to Minako and Rei talk about getting Ami and Taiki together, as he sat with a pained expression on his face.

Suru and Unazumi were sitting next to Makoto and Jadeite as they waited for Luna and Artemis to begin speaking. Suru saw Haruka and Michiru pick the middle of the floor and sit down, intending to stay there for a while as Hotaru and Shingo stood on either side of the doorway. Seiya walked over to the room to sit beside the chair Kashikoi was sitting on, not saying a word to anybody.

Luna saw that everyone was seated and nodded over to Artemis.

"We need to tell you a story," she began. "Both Artemis and I had a dream last night, in which we were taken to the moon. There, we met Diana, who guards it."

Kashikoi and Setsuna were nodding their heads while Suhai got a dreamy look on his face that didn't go unnoticed by Rei. She poked him in the ribs, getting his attention.

Artemis sighed at the little exchange and continued. "She told us both that we held power, and that we would give it back to the silver crystal when the time came to awaken its guardian and the guardian of the golden crystal."

"She also told us..."

_The Night Before... _

_Diana looked at the garden wistfully. "Someday, this and the Earth shall become one. Until that time, I will sleep here." _

_She glanced at Luna and Artemis with a hopeful look in her eyes. "Then I will be free once more from the one who placed me here. I will be free to roam with these dogs as I once did." _

_Mathias whined as he sat by her feet, his head resting on her knee. She pet his head softly, rubbing his ears. _

_"Please, tell your charge that they will have to find the hammer that will join the Earth and the Moon forevermore. It lies deep within one who burns as the core of the planet does, but it does not belong to them. The hammer is what created human life, and only that can create a new civilization such as the world needs." _

In the Present...

"When I woke up," Luna said, "I only thought that it was a dream. Then I realized that I was human, like I was before I went into service for Queen Serenity. Both Artemis and I had been groomed to be the Royal Advisors to her since we were born."

Artemis nodded. "Being so chosen, we were given names to honor the goddess that had given the moon into the hands of the people that lived on the Moon."

"The hammer," Rei muttered to herself. She looked over at the former cats standing on one side of the room. "What about the hammer," she said to everybody. "I have the feeling that it's connected to me, but I don't know how."

"That's because it is," Motoki said, leaning forward. "The flames of Mars were forged into fire for humans, wielded by a great master of iron."

Suru nodded. "The oracle at Delphi told many stories about how fire was stolen from the gods and given to humans. One of the most told is that of the one who creates fire with a great hammer, sending sparks to those the gods had created."

"The oracle also told of the punishment of the one that had stolen the fire," Unazumi continued the story. "The hammer was taken back, and the fire thief was sent to Earth to live immortally among the humans, having no power over fire."

Mamoru watched them carefully. Those that were able to become the gods looked as if they were puppets. Their eyes were glazed, and the voices were monotonous, not like how they normally talked.

"I think we have a problem," he said, jumping up off the couch.

Usagi looked up at him strangely. Suddenly she felt a strange vibe flowing through the room, engulfing the others. "Mamo-chan," she whispered, launching herself into his arms.

"Someone actually could tell I was here," an eerie voice said. The others looked to see Suhai's lips moving stiffly. "Ugh, how boring," the voice continued, "This is just so pointless I think that I'll stop wasting my energy."

The immortals fell to the floor, lifeless. The senshi were stunned, shocked by the surprise attack.

"Alecto," Setsuna whispered as she checked over Motoki and Kashikoi. "One whose anger is unceasing."

"You got that right, sister," the Fury sneered as she appeared over Suhai. She kicked him in the side. "This one was just too easy to control. Anger is such a good weapon."

Rei watched in horror as Alecto kicked Suhai again. "Stop that," she screeched at the woman.

Alecto turned to find nothing more than a pest at her side. "Go away," she said, lifting a finger at Rei. The senshi watched in horror as she passed out, lifeless, onto the floor.

"Ah, the more anger they have, the more fun it is to do that," Alecto said, rubbing her hands together. She looked over at the appreciative crowd before her and mentally cackled before calming herself down. "Time to get to business."

* * *

Rei found herself in a room. She could tell that this was her astral body and not her physical one. This felt different from that, but she was familiar with it. Sitting in front of the sacred fire freed her astral body in times of great importance. She noticed that there were no doors or windows. No route of escape, anywhere. 

Sighing, she sat down in the exact middle of the room. Closing her eyes, she imagined she was sitting in front of the sacred fire once more. She could hear Grandpa chasing Yuuichiro around the grounds with his broom, stopping to show off for some school girls.

Focusing on the fire behind her lids, she gradually became aware of an actual fire burning before her. It grew larger and larger, reaching out to her as she moved back from it. Soon the fire overpowered the room, engulfing it in flames.

Rei stood plastered to a wall, frantically searching for any crack to get free.

She stopped suddenly, the thought crossing her mind that she had imagined the fire, so she must have made it exist. Closing her eyes again, she mentally willed the fire to become that of a candle flame, small and dancing in a light breeze. The room chilled rapidly, no longer warmed by the intense heat of the fire.

Opening her eyes to reveal a small candle, she went over and picked it up, imagining a door opening. Before stepping through it, she willed it to lead her to her friends.

Stepping through, Rei found herself in a large room, stark white. The only bits of color in it was that of blond hair resting against a pillow. There was only one person here, and she had wanted to find everybody. She looked closer at the man laying in the middle of the white room. It was Suhai, his eyes closed. She went over to him and bent down, putting her finger on his neck.

There was no pulse. Looking even closer, Rei saw that he wasn't breathing.

"Breathe," she whispered into his ear.

There was no response.

"Dammit, breathe," Rei shouted at him. There was a loud noise as Suhai's chest rose, taking in air.

Rei took a breath as well, trying to calm down. She closed her eyes and thought about what had happened. The room with no escape, the fire, the candle, this room...so many things to think about. All of that came about with the power of her mind. Was Suhai a figment of her imagination as well? Was he reality or what she thought of it as? If this was reality, she didn't know where the rest of them were.

"Rei," Suhai whispered. "Please, open your eyes..."

Opening them, Rei found herself looking in Suhai's dark eyes.

"Hi," he said. He touched his hand to her cheek, cupping it softly. Rei's eyes grew larger, startled at this show of affection. Then she made herself smarter by remembering that this person was actually the god of love and lust.

"Nani?" Rei looked around the room, the white slowly dissipating into other colors. The room began to look like the living room of the house they were staying at, except it was still empty but for the two of them. "Where is everybody?"

Suhai shook his head. "I think that we have to go look for them, and for myself."

"What!"

"I am here, but also not here," he said. "I am connected to you because I have feelings for you, so I was able to at least find you this way. I have the feeling, though, that finding _me_ - and the others - will be difficult. Alecto has a nasty touch about her in the astral world."

Rei nodded and stood up, followed by Suhai. "Well...shall we?"


	12. Chapter 12: Rage, Or the Fire Within

AN: I will be uploading the next couple of chapters in a couple of days. I've lost part of the last chapter, and I am trying to recover it. Unfortunately, it may be corrupted beyond repair, so it may take up to a week while I hunt down an old hard-copy that is somewhere in my attic.

Chapter 12: Rage (or The Fire Within)

* * *

Alecto stood in the middle of the room, gleefully rubbing her hands at the terror she had struck in the faces of these children. She looked at Nephrite and changed her mind. 'Make that children and a couple of men,' she thought to herself. 'Maybe I'll keep that one after I'm finished with the others. Hehe.' 

Usagi looked at the lifeless bodies on the floor. She could feel that they were being held elsewhere, but she knew that the longer they were apart from their bodies, the harder it would be to reunite them. She drew a deep breath and poked Mamoru with a hidden finger.

Alert, he understood that she was signaling to henshin. Mamoru eyed the four generals, who stood prepared to fight. Catching their eyes, he nodded almost imperceptibly. The senshi left could feel the vibes flowing through the air and knew that this was the signal.

Alecto was unprepared for the energy that burst around her as everybody in the room transformed. She found herself surrounded by the senshi, power flowing from them in rapid waves. She looked at the closest one to her, the one called Sailor Jupiter, and found herself staring into a pair of deadly green eyes. She saw the anger welling up in them, soon reaching the point where she could take this girl. Raising an eyebrow, she looked Sailor Jupiter dead on. As she sent the girl to the realm where she had sent the others, she saw the blond man, out of the corner of her eye, reach for the senshi in front of her. Figuring to get rid of him as well, she sent the two of them off together.

As the bodies of Sailor Jupiter and Jadeite fell to the floor, Sailor Moon watched with a sad expression on her face. Alecto saw this and silently swore. Here was a person that almost never got angry when it came to important things, something that she couldn't touch. Even though she was scared at the events that were happening before her, she didn't let herself get angry.

'This could be trouble,' Alecto thought. She had never seen someone so in control of herself in battle. 'On second thought, yes I have. Who...? Nevermind.'

She gathered up energy and sent it flying towards Sailor Moon, who neatly sidestepped it.

The room gawked. Alecto stood with her mouth hanging wide open. She had been expecting a counter attack, which she would have easily been able to handle. This, on the other hand, she couldn't fathom. The senshi were in shock. They had never seen Sailor Moon act so calm in a battle, at least to start with. She usually had at least one panic attack when it was first sited, but today she was unusually calm.

Mamoru was impressed. He had known that she was getting stronger everyday, and this proved it. He was proud of her.

Sailor Moon gazed into Alecto's eyes. She saw nothing but anger in them, the kind of anger that will burn steadily until it's put out by an outside force. As long as that fire was burning, there was little or no chance to rescue her friends. She brought out the Eternal Moon Rod and held it before her. As she did so, she could feel new power flow to her. Focusing on it, she could feel it coming from Luna and Artemis who stood behind the senshi.

Letting the power flow into the rod, she let it go at Alecto, "Crystal Moon Tear Drop!"

A bright light burst out of the rod in thousands of colors, too many to name. They headed straight for Alecto, who found herself unable to move fast enough to avoid it. She was hit with a tremendous force, throwing her against the wall. She was incased in a crystal tear, her face contorted in surprise and horror.

"Wow!" Sailor Venus said. "How did you do that?"

Sailor Moon shook her head. "Never mind that. We have to get the others back."

* * *

Makoto and Jadeite stood in a dark room. They couldn't see each other, but they could hear the other's breathing. 

"Where are we?" Makoto put her hand out to search for anything.

"I don't know," came Jadeite's voice from her left.

She turned in that direction, hand out from her body. After a couple of steps there was something hard yet soft under her fingertips and a slight "Umph!" in a male voice.

"Gomen," Makoto apologized.

"Daijobu," Jadeite replied. "Now that you found me, how about we look for an exit?"

Makoto nodded her head before she realized that Jadeite couldn't see it. "Sure."

* * *

Rei stopped suddenly, Suhai bumping into her back. 

"Oops," he said. "Gomen. Why did you stop?"

She turned around and looked at Suhai. His body was starting to fade slightly, reminding her that they needed to find his 'real' body. She personally couldn't fathom how he was projecting himself from his astral body into this form. She had never heard it being done before. Opening her mouth, she started to speak but stopped. Her thoughts running in thirty different directions at all the possibilities, she found she couldn't get them out.

Rei turned her head away and was startled to see the wall wavering slightly near the top. At the crease of the wall and ceiling there were a pair of eyes staring down at her - her own eyes. They looked down at her, expressionless. Almost as if they were waiting for something to trigger a certain look deep within. Rei found herself mesmerized by those eyes, almost losing herself in their depths.

Suhai realized the danger in that and tugged on her arm, loosening Rei from the grip of her own eyes. "Don't look at them. As long as you are here, it's dangerous to gaze into your own eyes. You must look within, but that isn't the way to do it."

"Look within," she muttered. She had felt as if she were drifting in a rough sea when she had looked into her own eyes. Rei had thought that there had been something deep within them, but now she realized that they were nothing but the reflection of her in this place. As long as she hadn't found anybody, they would be empty.

Now she knew that she had to find the others. Knowing that the eyes that she used to see into the world were empty, as if they were a blank piece of paper, was terrifying. While she was here, she had to find the strength that she had always believed had shone out of her eyes.

Closing her eyes, she took a couple of deep breaths, trying to clear her mind. She could see herself sitting at the sacred fire again, as she had so many times before. This time, she stopped this before the fire could become reality. She held it in a small corner of her mind, not letting herself become so focused on it that it grew uncontrollably.

The sacred fire burned steadily in the small space that she had allotted it, showing her that she had the control to continue. Gazing into the flame, Rei could see that her friends were scattered over the large space of her soul.

Rei gasped. She was within her soul! Shaking her head, she couldn't believe it. The more she looked for another answer in the fire the more pronounced the one she had been given became.

She turned to look at Suhai and found that he had faded some more. Time was running out.

"Ikimasu!"

"Nani?" Suhai looked at her strangely.

"Get a move on it! We don't have much time left," Rei said demandingly. "You're almost as bad as Usagi. Move it!"

'What did I get myself into?' Suhai asked himself as Rei dragged him out of the room.

* * *

"Is he ok?" Unazumi bent over Suhai's prone body with a worried expression on her face. 

"Yes," Suru replied. "I think that he is out there looking for something. I just wish I knew where we were."

"Rei," Shingo said abruptly.

Everybody's head turned quickly at the name.

"Nani?" Taiki asked.

"We are within Rei," Shingo said, moving his hand over his eyes in a tired motion.

"How...? Why?" Yaten looked at him as Motoki moved to sit by him.

"The hammer," Seiya said quietly. The others looked at him strangely.

"She needs to find the hammer," Kashikoi said. "Doesn't she?"

Shingo nodded. "I think that is where Suhai has gone - to help her."

"It's not going to be easy, is it," Unazumi asked.

Shingo shook his head before closing his eyes.

There was a rumble and a sudden crash to one side of the room as Makoto and Jadeite came through the wall. The hole that they made sealed up behind them.

"Bad move," Yaten said as the two walked into the middle of the room. "Now you're stuck here with us."

"What?" Makoto went over to the wall that they had just come through. She put her hand up to it, but couldn't force her way through like she had all of the others.

"Rei has to come find us," Taiki said.

Jadeite looked over the group, finding that they were scattered along one wall of the room, either sitting, or laying as in Suhai's case. They were bunched together in little clusters. He mentally sighed as he watched them talk amongst themselves. He saw Kashikoi try to get the others into a little group and he decided that he would help her.

"Is there a reason you're doing this?" he asked her.

"We might be able to help Rei find her way here if we act like a group," Kashikoi said. She put her hands on her hips and huffed. Swinging her braid over her shoulder, she pulled Jadeite over to one side. "We need something to stir this group up. The longer it takes Rei to get here, the harder this is going to be, I think."

"You think?"

"I'm not all-seeing you know. I leave that to Setsuna," she said, pouting.

Seiya looked up to see Kashikoi whispering to Jadeite about something. He didn't know what was going on, but he was going to find out. He walked over to the two.

"Go poke her and get her attention," Kashikoi was saying, gesturing madly at Makoto, who had sat down next to Unazumi. "We need to get off of our butts if we want to help."

"Help?" Seiya looked at the two for a couple of seconds before realizing what was happening. "Leave it up to me," he said smugly to Jadeite and Kashikoi, who were watching him with strange looks on their faces.

Seiya walked to the middle of the room and cleared his throat loudly.

Nobody paid any attention.

He tried again, louder.

Nothing.

"Oi!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, causing everybody to cringe at the echo as the word bounced off of the walls at them.

"Knock it off, Seiya," Yaten groused at him.

"We need to get up and help Rei," Seiya said to him in return.

"Yeah, come on everybody." Kashikoi went over to Suru and tugged at his arm, not letting up until he was standing. She reached down and pulled Shingo up as well, even though both men were glaring at her. "Do you think that we'll get out of here if we don't help? We aren't going to be able to do anything if we just sit here!"

"Stop it, Kashikoi," Suru said in a low voice. "Quit being such a know-it-all."

She stopped in mid-motion, locked in a shocked tableau with the rest of the group.

"N-nani," she asked, stuttering in shock.

"Just stop it. I can't deal with this anymore, following you as if you really know anymore than the rest of us. You don't have anything that we haven't got. We're just as smart as you."

With every word Suru said, Kashikoi shrunk a little until she was standing in the middle of the room alone. "Suru," she whispered, holding out her hand towards him. "Doshite? What's the matter?"

"Don't you know what's the matter?" he shouted at her, ignoring her hand. He turned away from her before turning again and stalking at her. "You've forced yourself onto this group, and for once I'm not standing for it! I don't want to do this anymore." He turned and walked toward the wall, his back telling her everything yet nothing at all.

The group watched in a sort of tired fascination as Suru walked away from her, leaving the young woman shaking. They lost interest in what was going on when Suru sat down next to Unazumi again.

Jadeite watched this and wondered what had happened. He knew that the two had grown up best friends, and now this? Something wasn't right here. He went over to Makoto and crouched down next to her.

"Makoto-san," he said softly.

She looked up at him with a confused expression on her face. "What just happened? I don't understand."

He shook his head and offered her a hand to stand up. Pulling her away from the group, he went over to where Kashikoi was standing alone, Seiya having gone back to the wall once more.

"Kashikoi-san," Makoto said. "Daijobu?"

Haunted turquoise eyes looked at the both of them before they became blank, masking any emotion. "Hai," was the reply in a muted, but determined voice. Before either could say another word, Kashikoi grabbed their hands and closed her eyes, whisking the three out of the room.

* * *

Rei stopped. Her heart felt like it was breaking. What had happened? The cord that she had felt tugging her felt as if it had been stretched taught, almost snapping under the pressure. When it was released, the cord was slack, its strength pulled from it. 

"Something's wrong," she whispered. She turned to look at Suhai. He was watching her with faded eyes. All he could do was nod, unable to do anything more in his weakened state.

The two went forward, hoping that they found what they were searching for soon. Otherwise, there was no telling what would happen.

* * *

Usagi collapsed on the couch, her transformation swiftly changing. She clutched her heart in pain as Endymion caught her in his arms. 

"Usako!"

"Usagi-chan," Minako yelled.

Those that were left in the room looked at the princess with worry in their eyes.

"Rei-chan," Usagi whispered. She felt that something was wrong, and she had to go find out what it was. She looked up at Mamoru. He was looking down at her with a calm look in his blue eyes, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Mamo-chan?"

"Hai, Usako," he said softly. "We need to go after them."

There was movement on the floor across the room as Jadeite and Makoto stirred next to Kashikoi. They sat up slowly, trying to figure out where they were now. Makoto looked down at Kashikoi, who wasn't moving, except a couple of tears falling from her closed eyes.

"Daijobu," she whispered as she heard the others come over. Her answer was a slight shake of the head.

"Mako-chan," Usagi said in a worried voice. She hugged her swiftly before turning her attention to Kashikoi. The redhead was staring listlessly at nothing in particular as she was held in Setsuna's arms.

"Kashikoi-san!" Usagi looked closely at the young woman, alarmed at what she saw on her face. There was no emotion on it, unusual for such a vivacious person such as she was.

"Kashikoi," Setsuna whispered in her ear. "What's wrong?" Closing her eyes, Setsuna searched for a desperate answer in the future but received nothing but a cloudy glimpse of the present. Something was still blocking her knowledge of the future, leaving her feeling as if she could do nothing to help.

Usagi took a deep breath, silently hoping that Kashikoi would understand what she was about to do. Releasing the breath, she swung her hand across the young woman's cheek harshly, the crack echoing around the now silent room.

Mamoru watched silently, knowing that this was for the best. He could feel the guilt flow across Usagi in waves for the slap she had just given. He looked at Kashikoi, who didn't react. He was startled when Usagi fell back into his arms, trying to hold back tears.

"Gomen ne, Kashikoi-san," Usagi whispered over and over again. "I thought it would work."

There was a strangled sound deep in Kashikoi's throat, startling everybody. They went into shock at the horrible, strangled scream that erupted from the young woman, as if her soul was being torn apart. "Iie. Iie," she muttered repeatedly, shaking her head. Finally, she blinked her eyes and tried to sit up in Setsuna's arms.

"Koinu," Setsuna said softly, hugging her little sister. She had been terrified at the sound that had come from her. She knew that something was wrong, and she knew that she couldn't fix it, but wanted to help in anyway she could. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

Kashikoi shook her head violently, standing suddenly and rushing to the bathroom. The others started to follow when Usagi motioned them to stay. Reaching the bathroom, she found Kashikoi sobbing, curled up into a small ball next to the tub.

Brushing her hair out of her face, Usagi got a wet washcloth and wiped her tears away. She sat quietly next to her, knowing that Kashikoi would tell her what was wrong instinctively.

Trying to hold back her tears, Kashikoi looked over at Usagi. She found worried blue eyes watching her in concern. Almost bursting out in tears again at this, she closed her eyes. She hurriedly opened them again when all she saw was Suru yelling at her.

"Doshite," she asked herself quietly, not realizing that she said it aloud.

"Doshite, what?" Usagi took one of Kashikoi's hands and held it between her own.

Kashikoi looked up, startled. She took a couple of calming breaths. "Suru...he..." She stopped, unable to voice the thoughts running through her head.

"What did he do," Usagi asked. She had the feeling that it was something bad that had happened.

"He...he said...he said that I was being a know-it-all, that I had f-forced myself onto everybody," she said, starting to sob again. "He said that he didn't want to deal with me anymore." She broke down into heaving sobs, hugging her knees to her chest.

Usagi looked up at the doorway and found Mamoru and Setsuna looking at them, worry etched on their faces. She nodded at Setsuna, who came over and hugged Kashikoi. Rising, Usagi walked over to Mamoru and hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I don't understand what's going on," she said softly to him as she pulled him out of the room. She led him down the hallway and into one of the rooms on the main floor. "I thought that Kashikoi-san and Suru-san were best of friends, and he said that to her?"

"Usako," Mamoru said gently. "When you felt your heart hurt, what did you feel?"

She looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly. "As if anger had pierced an arrow through it."

"An arrow of anger," Mamoru said under his breath. Suddenly it clicked. "Mars."

"Nani?"

"You could feel Rei, right?"

Usagi nodded.

"And you could feel anger as well." Mamoru saw Usagi nod again. "This is connected to Rei somehow. She is the one most easily angered out of all of us, isn't she?"

Nodding again, Usagi hugged Mamoru once more. She understood it finally. "Alecto is the Fury unceasing in anger, and Mars is the warrior of war. She increased the anger that Rei-chan feels towards the world."

"That is where we were," came a male voice behind them. Mamoru and Usagi turned to see Jadeite and Makoto standing in the doorway nervously.

"We were within Rei-chan," Makoto said in a low voice.

"Somehow, I suspect that the anger Rei feels towards things was amplified through the room," Jadeite said. "When Kashikoi-san tried to get the others to help Rei-san, the others didn't even bother trying. Anger takes many forms, and a sense of disinterest is one of them."

Mamoru nodded his head. "Rei's anger at something is being fueled."

Usagi got a sinking feeling about this. She saw movement behind Jadeite. "Luna, Artemis!"

Luna walked over to her. "You should get going. The longer the others are gone, the stronger Alecto's spell will hold. Even though she is imprisoned, her magic still works."

Artemis nodded. "She is much stronger than her sisters. Anger is a very powerful emotion."

Nodding at them, Usagi looked up into Mamoru's eyes. She could see the determination deep with the blue orbs, matching her own. Hearing a noise outside of the room, she went and followed it, the others close behind.

Setsuna stood outside the bathroom, slowing making her way to the living room with Kashikoi. She stopped when she saw Usagi. "Before you leave, we need to talk alone," Setsuna said.

Usagi and Mamoru nodded, while the others wondered what was going on.

The four went into the kitchen, Kashikoi sitting heavily in one of the chairs at the table.

"Why didn't you get angry like the others did," Mamoru asked her.

Setsuna answered. "She rarely ever gets angry."

Kashikoi nodded slowly, rubbing her forehead tiredly. Her eyes were faintly red, and tears were lurking beneath the lids, but she wasn't crying anymore. "It takes a lot for me to get angry at somebody. And when I do start getting angry, I go inside my shell and cry for awhile, so I did get a little angry, I guess."

Mamoru nodded. He did the same thing, except for the crying part, when he got angry.

Setsuna looked at Usagi. "Princess, you need to make sure that you are prepared. You are going to have to deal with Rei's anger, and I think that some of it will be directed at you personally."

Usagi looked at her a couple of moments before nodding slightly. "I know." She turned to Mamoru and held out her hand. "Are you ready?"

Mamoru took it. "Yes."

Both of them concentrated, transforming silently with their crystals as they sped into Rei.

At the kitchen table, Kashikoi sighed. "Good luck."

Setsuna looked at her before nodding. "They will need it."

* * *

Sailor Moon surveyed the room that she was standing in. She could feel some emotion flowing through the air, but it wasn't anger. It more like sadness, pulling on her heart like the tide on the sand. 

Endymion stood next to her, also feeling the emotions that floated around the room. He sensed that Rei, herself, was nearby, but didn't feel the others anywhere close to them. Taking hold of Sailor Moon's hand again, he guided them through the wall, coming into a pitch-black room. The air was oppressive here, suffocating them.

"What is this?" Sailor Moon tried to see anything through the darkness. She could feel Endymion's hand in hers, the only link between them.

"I think that this is her fear," he said. He stopped, hearing a noise behind him. Twisting around, he tried to see what it was, losing his grip on Sailor Moon's hand. He gasped and reached for her.

"Endymion," Sailor Moon's voice came faintly. "Where are you?" There was a soft scream and suddenly he couldn't feel that she was in the room anymore. Mentally bracing himself, he walked forward, coming up to a wall. Pushing through it, he blinked from the brightness of the room he entered.

"Endymion," said a surprised Rei.

Finally adjusting to the light, Endymion found Rei standing next to him, the faint shadow of Suhai close by.

"Rei," he said. "Where...? Have you seen Sailor Moon?"

Shaking her head, Rei looked to see how Suhai was doing. She gasped when she saw that he was barely there. Knowing that they had to hurry, she motioned for Endymion to follow her as she went to the next room.

* * *

Sailor Moon looked around the room. She saw the immortals scattered around the room. Yaten and Taiki were fighting, physically, down and dirty. Unazumi was yelling at Shingo, who was glaring for all he was worth back at her. Suru and Motoki were pointedly ignoring each other, each on one side of Suhai, who lay still. Seiya was sitting over in a corner, staring at nothing. 

She could feel the anger flowing through each of them, at different levels. Deciding that she might as well get started, she went over to Seiya first, since it seemed like he had the lowest level of anger in him.

"Seiya-kun," she said softly, putting her hand on her shoulder. She pulled it back when she could feel vibrations running through him. "Daijobu?"

He turned to look up at her with his blue eyes in turmoil. "Sai...Sailor Moon?"

Seiya jumped up quickly, trying to hide his anguish inside of the anger that flowed through him. He could still see the tears on Kashikoi's face as she vanished. He looked down into Sailor Moon's empathetic eyes and he calmed down.

Sailor Moon smiled at him, encouraging a smile from the man next to her. "Seiya-kun, please tell me what's the matter."

He looked at her carefully, fighting the anger that rose in him once more. Inhaling sharply helped him regain a sense of himself, pushing the anger to the side. "I...I hurt her," he said softly. "I hurt her. I didn't mean to do, but I..."

Putting a hand on his shoulder again, Sailor Moon said, "It's okay, Seiya-kun. I think that she will understand you. You just need to tell her what happened."

Seiya nodded. Closing his eyes, he saw Kashikoi's face in front of him, this time smiling at him.

There was a bright flash and Seiya was gone.

Sailor Moon sighed. 'One down and more to go.'


	13. Chapter 13: Sadness

AN: This is it - the last four chapters. I decided to wait until they were all finished with the beta before putting them up. I just didn't think that it would take this long. And, of course, as I try to get them up, ffnet's editor keeps on messing up the dividers, so I give up on that.

The Return  
Chapter 13: Sadness

* * *

A bright light flashed in the kitchen, startling those around it. Seiya lay on the table in the midst of dinner, squishing the carrots (that nobody had seemed to want to eat anyway). Haruka stood up and pulled him off the table, knocking over glasses and plates. She held him standing up, holding on to his jacket. "How did you get here?" she asked. "Where are the others?" 

Setsuna came over and gently removed Seiya from Haruka's grasp and set him in a chair.

Refusing to look at anybody, Seiya bowed his head. He could feel the eyes of everybody in the room on him, but for some reason he didn't feel one pair of eyes.

Setsuna leaned over and whispered, "She's sleeping."

He looked up into her violet-red eyes and saw the sincerity there. He glanced at the others in the room briefly before getting up and racing up the stairs.

Those left in the kitchen looked at each other in silence.

Michiru sighed, "Mou..."

"You said it, Michiru-san," Makoto said. The kitchen slowly moved into motion once again, unanswered questions running through everybody's heads.

* * *

Sailor Moon looked around the room, watching everybody that was left. She had the feeling that she wouldn't be able to help anybody else until Rei got here. The only thing that was good about this was that at least the others were safe.

* * *

Rei wandered from room to room, hoping that she would be able to find Suhai's body. He was just a whisper of light, having no shape. She puzzled over why he was having such a hard time projecting himself as time went on, when at the beginning he had had a physical body. She could feel Endymion close by, searching as well, but she blocked him out.

'Why would love not be able to send itself out?' Rei wondered. Searching within herself, she realized that only anger is able to totally push love out. Anger. That's where she had to go, her center of anger. Suddenly a terrible feeling swept over her as she started running, hoping that she wasn't too late. Her princess was in trouble.

Approaching a wall, Rei put her hand up to it and felt vibrations running along its surface. This was where she was supposed to be. Inside was her greatest foe, and she didn't know if she could defeat it.

'You can,' a voice whispered through her mind. 'You can do this, and save the others.' In front of Rei was a small spirit: the essence of the god of Mars himself. 'I will be able to help you, but you are the one that must face what comes next.'

Bracing herself, she entered the room. As she did, Suhai's body began to breathe again. Relieved, Rei let a small breath out. That was the last breath she was able to take as she was attacked on all sides by her comrades. Able to peer through holes as they grabbed at her, she saw Sailor Moon held up on the wall, her arms opened as if she were on a crucifix.

"NOOOO!" Rei tried to get out of the hold she was in, but the others were too strong. Struggling, she did her best to get free. All of a sudden, she stopped, making the others let go of her in surprise. Taking the chance she had been given, Rei ran over to Sailor Moon, frantically trying to get the bindings off her. Her fingers scrambled along the vines holding her in, she couldn't get any purchase on them. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the others coming towards her, anger twisting their faces into horrible mockeries of what they normally were. Behind her she heard Endymion being attacked as she felt some move from her.

She looked down to see that they had put armor on her. Next to her stood Shingo, a spear held in his hands. Holding it out to her, he gestured at Sailor Moon. She looked behind her and found Endymion tied up in the same manner as Sailor Moon.

Dazed, she thought that the others were acting like savages. Startled, she realized it was true. She had just finished a book the night before Usagi and Mamoru were supposed to get married. She hadn't really liked "Lord of the Flies" but she had been determined to finish it. The spear, the way they were tied up, brought back memories of the story. Rei tried to recall how the book ended when another thought came to her. She was the author inside her head, and she was the one who would determine the ending to the story. After all, there was no Simon or Piggy here to get killed trying to tame the wild ones, just her.

Looking up, she saw Sailor Moon watching her with the compassionate eyes that she always had. Standing straight, she hefted the spear and threw it at Sailor Moon. The others began to cheer, but it abruptly ended as they saw the spear was three centimeters from the senshi's head. Rei looked at the others with a dark glint in her eye. Within it a fire burned three-fold: anger, sadness, and strength. Reaching into herself the deepest she had ever been, Rei freed the last of the resistance she found there, the last little bit that had a hard time believing that her life would never go back to what it had been before she had met Usagi.

She saw everybody that loved her there, deep within her soul, encouraging her to be strong, not as how they were in this room. Taking a deep breath, Rei opened her eyes and held out her right hand. In the palm of her hand a soft glow began to rapidly spread, elongating. One end spread out, and when the glow died down, the hammer that created life lay in her hand.

Rei knew that this was not a weapon, but a tool. She was not the one who wielded it, but the one who would guide who would. 'Shingo,' she thought. 'Forgive me for what I must do next.'

Raising her hand high, she felt a new power sing through her veins. "Mars Fire Power, Make Up!" Transforming, she held her bow up and pointed it in Shingo's direction. Concentrating, she could barely hear Sailor Moon's pleas to stop. "In order to be cleansed, the world must be bathed in fire," Sailor Mars softly said.

Released, the arrow sped towards Shingo, engulfing him in flames.

* * *

Hotaru sat up in bed, screaming. "Nooooooo!!!!!!"

* * *

Shingo felt the heat spread through him, burning up the anger left in his mind. He had expected to be burnt to a crisp, but instead, it flew through him as a soft breeze on a summer's day through the trees. Looking around the room in the middle of the flames, he saw what had become of him. His sister was tied to a wall, the spear still next to her head. The spear that he himself had handed to Rei. 

Sobbing, he let the flames get higher, scaring everyone in the room to their senses. He couldn't hear their calls over the crying in his heart. He had let anger get the best of him, to the point where he had been willing to kill his own sister. She didn't deserve that.

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his misery. In the middle of the flames stood Sailor Mars. "Shingo-kun," she said softly. "Leave this sadness. Your sister needs you. The rest of us need you to help fight for this planet. Hotaru needs you," the last she whispered to him.

Closing his eyes briefly, Shingo thought about it. Was he going to let the Earth collapse while he brooded over his inability to control himself? 'No,' he thought. 'I will not let that happen.' Looking back at Sailor Mars, he saw that she was holding out the hammer to him. Reaching for it, Shingo touched it with a fingertip and the world shook.

* * *

"Hotaru!" Setsuna rushed into her bedroom at her screaming. 

"Setsuna-mama!" Hugging the tallest of the senshi close, Hotaru felt as if she were drifting. She had felt as if she were being swept up in the flames. She could have sworn that she was there with Shingo, had felt Mars' arrow pierce through her.

Haruka and Michiru hung back in the doorway, Kunzite and Zoisite behind them. The four of them were worried about the youngest of the senshi. She had been even quieter than she usually was when the immortals had been taken.

Sensing her confusion, Setsuna just let her cry. 'Please, Hotaru, be strong.' The senshi of time held her, thinking that she loved this girl as if she were another sister. Hugging her tight, Setsuna let Hotaru cry.

The four in the doorway were torn. They could see that there was nothing they could do, yet they wanted to help. A small tug on Kunzite's sleeve alerted him that there was somebody standing next to him. Turning, he found Ami, looking worried. Behind her, Minako was subdued, not her usual bright, cheerful self. Understanding dawned in his brain as he motioned for Haruka and Michiru to let them through.

The two inner senshi went over to the bed and hugged Hotaru as well. All four of them had been separated from somebody, and each needed comfort.

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling as the house shook. Thinking it was an earthquake, everybody rushed to the doorways along the hallway. Jamming up against one another, none of them noticed the flash of light at first. As it pulsed, though, it caught everybody's attention. Racing outside, they found the others that had been inside Rei's soul.

* * *

Seiya slowly pushed the door open. He saw Kashikoi on the bed, sleeping peacefully. Or at least, that's what he thought. As he got closer, he could see the tear tracks on her cheeks. Cupping her cheek, he sat down on the bed. 

Feeling her face being held, Kashikoi opened her eyes sleepily. When she saw Seiya's face so close to hers, she woke up quickly. She sat up, blushing, dislodging Seiya's hand. Her cheeks got even redder when he put his hand back on her cheek.

"Sumimasen," he whispered. He put his forehead on hers, and looked deep into her eyes. He hoped that she could see how sorry he was for what he had put her through.

"Daijobu," she whispered back. Smiling slightly, she kissed him briefly and started to pull back. She didn't get too far, because he pulled Kashikoi into his arms and really kissed her, a deep, soulful kiss.

"Ahem," came a voice from the doorway. The two on the bed separated faster than the speed of light, making the tall black-haired woman laugh.

"Luna," Artemis said right behind her, admonishingly. "As if we didn't do that when we were younger."

"Artemis," she said, blushing. "Don't say things like that." She turned back to the pair on the bed, finding that they were now on opposite sides of the bed. "Setsuna sent me here to let you know that you should go downstairs. Now that everybody is back, we need to come up with a plan to defeat Beryl."

Kashikoi stood up and headed over to the door. She corralled Luna and Artemis out of the door and shut it behind them. "We'll be down in a minute or so, ok?" She didn't let them answer as she shut the door firmly. She turned back to Seiya and crossed the room to the bed. Sitting next to him, she cupped her hand on his cheek.

He turned to look at her and found happiness in her eyes. "Don't worry about this. We should just think of this as another test to pass, and we haven't failed it yet. Only when everything goes totally wrong will it be bad. We can learn from what happened, and forget about the pain the mistakes gave us."

Seiya could understand this, and he hugged her, burying his head in the crook of her shoulder and neck. Inhaling, he could smell the soft jasmine of her shampoo mingling with the scent of what he knew was hers alone.

"We should get going," Kashikoi whispered.

"Aa, we should," Seiya said.

Neither moved a muscle.

* * *

Luna looked over at Artemis as they headed down the stairs. She had seen the glint in Kashikoi's eyes as she had shut the door. Those two wouldn't be downstairs in the minute that she had been told, but she understood that they needed to be alone. 'Much like Artemis and I need to be alone.' Making up her mind, she suddenly stopped. Turning around, she grabbed a surprised Artemis and pulled him into the room nearby. 

Shutting the door, she pressed her lips against his.

* * *

Yaten looked up into worried blue eyes. Holding his head, he slowly sat up and looked at Minako's concerned face. He didn't want to tell her what had happened, ashamed at his behavior. He had fought with one of the people he trusted the most in anger. Looking around the room, he saw Taiki still sleeping, his hand wrapped around Ami's. 

"Yaten," Minako said softly. "Daijobu?"

Closing his eyes, he didn't want to answer. How could he? He didn't even understand what he was feeling right now. Shame intermingled with love, twisting his thoughts even as he tried to straighten them out.

Minako was worried. Yaten wouldn't answer her and refused to meet her eyes. Well, she wasn't the Ai no Megami for nothing. Standing, she pulled Yaten to his feet and dragged him outside of the house, only Nephlite noticing them leaving. Stopping in the garden, she pulled him over to the bench and sat down next to him.

"Yaten!"

He looked up at his name.

"You get a hold of yourself! I don't care what happened yesterday, just as long as you are alright!" Minako's words drifted off as tears rose in her eyes. "I couldn't handle it if something happened to you."

"Minako," he whispered. "How can I tell you that I felt everybody's anger, and let it build my own? How?" He hugged her closer to him. He felt detached from himself somehow, and needed to hold on to her to get himself back.

He breathed in the sweet scent that seemed to cling to her, even sweeter than the flowers that surrounded them. "I'm so sorry."

Minako pulled back and looked into saddened green eyes. "Yaten, don't be sorry. You couldn't control it!" She shook him slightly. "Let it go!"

Yaten looked into blue eyes that had the beginnings of tears in them. "Hai."

Minako hugged him again, tightening her hold until it was almost strangling him, but he didn't move from her arms. The strength that lay beneath the soft skin seeped into him, giving him the power to go on from where he now stood.

"Hai," he softly repeated as he buried his face in her soft hair.

* * *

Rei wept. 

Suhai hovered behind her, unsure as to what he should do. The raven-haired senshi had not stopped crying since they had returned.

Usagi came over and looked at her friend. She could feel the emotions sweeping over the fire senshi in waves. Her blue eyes wavered slightly at the feelings her friend was fighting.

A hand on her shoulder brought her out of her reverie. Turning, she found Mamoru smiling softly at her. "She will be okay, Usako," he told her gently.

Nodding, the blond looked at her friend once more before she and Mamoru left the room.


	14. Chapter 14: Confessions

The Return

Chapter 14: Confessions

* * *

Makoto looked at the large crystal piece that lay on the floor in horror. Something had woken her up from a deep sleep, and she had to know what had caused it. Now she knew. Judging from the jagged shards left behind, it was a pretty good bet that Alecto, the last of the Furies, had managed to break free. 

Not good.

A panic rose in her mind and she fought against it. Everybody else was asleep, and she didn't really want to wake them up. An overwhelming sense of disorder crashed through her before she got a hold of herself.

She wasn't the senshi of Jupiter for nothing, was she? No, she could handle this by herself. After all, what could go wrong?

* * *

Usagi woke from the dream abruptly. Strong vibes ran through her, alerting her to something terribly wrong. Even wrapped in Mamoru's arms as she was, she felt a cold shiver race down her spine, foretelling of something not right. 

She slid out of his arms and the bed, careful not to wake him or the others in the room. Creeping out the door, she paused for the slightest hint of sound coming from anywhere in the house. All that met her ears was the small creaks of the house, the same sounds that she had heard since they had begun staying here.

A small sigh escaped her. Her mind was probably trying to tell her something that wouldn't make any sense if she were more awake. Turning back to head to bed, something stopped her. Intangible, the feeling of danger grew stronger. Not personal danger, but the sense that a loved once was in peril.

Going on the feeling, she quickly searched the rooms, trying to keep calm as the panic inside her grew. She counted everybody in each of the bedrooms, coming up one short. Who...? Then she remembered that Rei and Ami hadn't seemed smushed. It had to be Mako-chan, then. But where was she? Usagi went down the stairs to the first floor, first checking the kitchen. Her stomach reminded her that this was the first place _she_ would check, not Makoto. Besides, that particular organ wanted to head back to bed. It was too tired to be hungry.

Ignoring her stomach for once, Usagi wandered into the living room where she came to a sudden halt. Now she knew why Makoto was missing. Well, partially. She just had to figure out the rest before her friend got hurt.

Reaching out to the silver crystal, she settled into the faint pulse that always ran through it. In sync with the beat, she let herself become in tune with her senshi. Usagi could feel the emotions of each as she reached out to them. All but Makoto. Her connection with the senshi of Jupiter was too weak to feel anything, meaning one of two things: either she was suppressing emotions or somebody was trying to disguise them from Usagi.

Usagi closed her eyes, reaching for the faint trail of feelings that floated to her from Makoto. Instead of strengthening, it was steadily growing weaker, alarming her. Jumping up, she quickly transformed. Closing her eyes, Sailor Moon willed herself to the place where Sailor Jupiter's spirit dwelled.

Mamoru's eyes shot open as he tried to figure out what was wrong. A coolness to one side was a good indication of what. When had his Usako gotten out of bed? He hadn't heard her. In fact the entire house was still.

He sat up and looked around the room. On one bed lay Shingo, curled around a pillow while the floor between the two beds was taken up by a rather squished Hotaru as she battled for floor space with Minako. Shaking his head slightly, Mamoru twisted to look at the other bed, upon which lay Unazumi and Motoki. He chuckled silently at the sight of his friend trying to protect his sister, even though they both had changed.

A frown crossed his lips. Where had Usako gone? It wasn't like her to go anywhere in the middle of the night. At least, ever since they had woken up after their long sleep. Since then, he had held her in his arms each night, secure in the knowledge that she was safe.

Climbing out of bed, Mamoru crept down the stairs. Passing the living room, he noticed that something was missing. A second look told him that Alecto and her prison were gone. The information sent a shock through him as he realized where Usako had disappeared to. Summoning his armor, he concentrated to join his love in the battle he suddenly knew was fighting.

* * *

Makoto couldn't move. She somehow knew her eyes were open, but nothing crossed them but black. Was she blind? All that she remembered was transforming and running off to find Alecto. She had come to a place of immense cold and then nothing after that. Something had gone wrong, because even now she didn't feel the power that usually lay dormant within her. The power of Jupiter had disappeared. 

She felt helpless, more helpless than she had felt in a long time. It was the same feeling she had when learning her parents had been killed in a plane crash. Makoto had been devastated for weeks, and nothing anybody had done could touch her. Numbness had filled her days as nightmares haunted her dreams. She also became angry. Her parents had left her when she had needed them the most. After they had been killed, life had become harder as she tried to fend off cloistering relatives who really never seemed that sympathetic. Then came the mess her life had grown to be as everybody at school picked on her. They hadn't understood what it was like not to have any parents, secure in the pressure they had from their own parents. No, they had tried to force themselves on her, whether in a physical fight or just a verbal one. Not one of her old classmates had seemed to understand just _what_ she was going through.

Shaking her head mentally since the physical didn't work, Makoto tried to forget that pain, willing it as far away from her as she possibly could. Instead, it seemed to crowd more and more in her heart and mind.

Panic started to rise in her as everything that had happened since her parents had been taken began to swirl in psychedelic colors as they ran at high speed through her mind's eye.

"Mako-chan!"

Dimly she heard her name being shouted, but it sounded as if it was at the top of a large mountain and she was at the bottom of a deep valley. The syllables echoed for a moment before they faded away. Again she heard nothing but the roar of some unseen wind as it rushed past her ears. A deep sigh was caught in her lungs as she tried to physically breathe. What was wrong with her that she couldn't do so? Some part of her mind knew she was alive, but all she wanted to do was sleep. Maybe this was a dream, where she would wake in the morning squished between Rei and Ami, or even back in her own little apartment where she had lived for so many years alone...

Sailor Moon stopped at the sight of Makoto. The strongest of the senshi was huddled in a little ball, unmoving in the chill air that swiftly blew through the large space. Blackness seemed to fill the cavern, so much that Sailor Moon couldn't see the walls. As she wondered what this place was, she could feel something... What was it? Maybe it was what Makoto was trying to fight. Compassion filled her heart as she saw what was really going on.

In the dim light that surrounded Makoto, she saw Alecto was really the wind as she whispered into the brunette's ears.

"Alecto!"

Sailor Moon watched as a form took shape in that of a tall woman. The regal bearing was belied by the maddening look in dark eyes. Pain glinted in them as Alecto spied her most hated enemy. Blue eyes widened slightly when they saw the pain, before they closed briefly in thought. 'What had brought so much pain to this woman that had driven her to be so angry in the first place?' Sailor Moon wondered. Whatever it was, she would try to find out.

Alecto paused for a moment. The senshi in front of her didn't even seem to be trying to fight her. This lone senshi stood before her, with no indications of even totally being aware of what was going on. Well, this just made it easier for her to get rid of her before she turned back to the senshi she had first brought here. Sailor Moon had been foolish enough to follow the one behind Alecto, and it would be her downfall.

Gathering energy, Alecto raised her hands. She had to use her most powerful attack to even touch Sailor Moon, so she had to make sure that it hit her precisely. The energy consumed by the attack would leave her weak for a while until she could regain her strength. She didn't worry about the senshi on the floor. That one was so wrapped in her misery nothing could touch her now.

Alecto smirked as she thought of the anger within the one called Sailor Jupiter. She had been able to twist it so that no one could touch her, the anger was directed so inwardly. But she still had some work yet to do before it was all over. At the moment, though, she had to deal with Sailor Moon.

The energy in her hands pulsed brightly in the dark space, lighting the sides of it. Sailor Moon could make out faint shapes as the light danced on the far away walls. Ignoring the energy in Alecto's hands for the nonce, she concentrated on the shapes. What were they? And why were they in shadow? She had the feeling that this place had once been filled with only light. Only recently had the shadow been allowed to consume what had once been such a happy place for the woman before her.

Sailor Moon didn't notice when Alecto had released the energy towards her. What woke her from her thoughts was being violently pushed to the side by someone. Looking above her, she saw concerned blue eyes watching her face.

"Endymion!"

"Sailor Moon," he answered. He had just been in time to rescue his love from the awesome wave of life force the last of the Furies had unleashed. Making sure that Sailor Moon was all right, he helped her up before the two of them looked in Alecto's direction.

The woman lay panting on the floor, unable to gain enough energy to sit up. All she knew was that she had been unsuccessful in getting rid of Sailor Moon. That man had come out of nowhere to push her from the path before it hit her. Alecto felt the vibrations of their footsteps as they grew closer, close enough for them to touch her before they stopped. Opening her eyes, she looked into empathetic eyes, the same color as the summer sky.

Sailor Moon crouched beside the last Fury and gently touched her cheek. "What happened that made you like this?"

Both Endymion and Alecto started. Neither of them had been expecting such a question. Endymion trusted Sailor Moon, though, as he waited for Alecto's answer.

Alecto turned away from the touch and saw Makoto a few yards away. Sailor Moon was asking what the problem was even though she had done that to one of her friends? It made no sense at all, and yet... something about this woman kneeling next to her called to some small part of her soul that had been overtaken by the darkness.

With her sisters gone, what had she to live for? The energy she had used in the attack had been far more than she had been able to handle. Using what little she had left, she released the senshi of lightening from the bonds around her. Alecto looked back into those sky-blue eyes, whose joy at the return of her friend seemed to overflow onto the Fury.

Makoto woke from her trance her head clear once more. Shaking it to clear the remnants of the strange and nightmarish thoughts that had almost overwhelmed her, she saw her Princess comforting Alecto. She wasn't quite sure how to take the sight. Then she saw Endymion standing patiently to one side, making sure that everything went smoothly for his eternal love. The expression on his face clued her into the fact that Sailor Moon knew Alecto was dying, and only wanted to give what little she could to make sure that she didn't die alone.

Standing, she could once more feel the singing of power in her body. "Jupiter Lightening Power, MAKE UP!" Transforming, she felt a shift towards her Princess. Almost undetectable, it flowed easily towards the senshi of healing as she knelt on the floor. Sailor Jupiter wobbled for a moment before she realized that her new power had awakened without her knowing. The power the king of the gods wielded had shielded her from the last of Alecto's power to completely destroy her sense of self.

Offering a small prayer of thanks to her protector, Sailor Jupiter raised her staff.

Alecto felt the energy ebb through her. The cleansing effect fought the darkness in her soul, offering a chance to be free of the hatred that had festered for so long. Healing energy flowed through her as she was able to sit up in Sailor Moon's arms. The Fury looked towards her and Sailor Jupiter before her eyes widened in amazement. Only once had she ever seen the god Jupiter wield the power to create new life, as he usually left that up to others. Just now Sailor Jupiter looked the same as he at that moment.

Endymion watched the action before him. Sailor Jupiter seemed to know the correct way to use the staff after puzzling over it the last week. Secretly he had wondered why each of the senshi in the Moon Princess' court had been given such strange weapons until this minute. He now knew they had been given talismans like the Outer senshi. They were like an extension of their power more than a weapon, giving new form to their energy as they used it.

He saw the glow from the staff fade before a brighter light enveloped the entire space.

* * *

Motoki awoke as the house shuddered. Opening his eyes, he discovered the sun was just peeking past the horizon, its pale glow giving the sheen of gold to everything the rays touched. Once again the house moved, the movement gaining in violence as it continued to do so. He quickly rose, noticing that the others were starting to panic when they couldn't find Usagi, Mamoru, or Makoto in any of the bedrooms. As they moved down the stairs, the group found the remains of Alecto's prison as it lay shattered on the floor. 

Scanning the room, Motoki ran a hand through his short blond hair as he thought. Where had those three gone? They must have gone after the last of the Furies after she had escaped. The puzzle here was why they had left without any notice to the rest of them. Blue eyes searched for any clue to their whereabouts.

Setsuna refused to panic, but her sense of time flow had restarted and things did not look good. Part of her was relieved that her Princess and the Prince were safe and sound, but much of her mind was preoccupied by the panicked thoughts that seemed to run amuck. Putting on the mask she usually wore, she glided among the others to round them together for when the missing three returned.

On the other side of the room Hotaru was baffled by her behavior. In all the battles she had fought alongside of the senshi of time had she never acted this way. A slight frown on her face was the only indication that she thought something was wrong with Setsuna.

The house shook one last time, the movements seeming to rip the house off its foundation as a bright light blinded them momentarily. When sight was possible each of them saw Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. With them stood Sailor Jupiter, her lightening staff glowed with a barely perceptible pulse. A light again flashed in front of their eyes, the bright glow concealing one last person from their sight.

Setsuna raised blood red eyes to see the last of the Furies standing beside her queen. Widening slightly, they narrowed as she gazed across the possibilities now offered by this unexpected happening. She studied Alecto as two possible futures arose in her mind. The Fury would either turn out to be a valuable ally, or she would once again be swallowed by the darkness that had overtaken her.

Rei took a defensive stance. "What is she doing here?" she asked the others.

Serenity shook her head. "Do not worry, Rei," she stated solemnly. "She is here to tell us some interesting things."

Rei looked at her friend. The formal speech was startling to hear from the lips of a girl who cried at the smallest things. She wondered what had happened to her as the entire group gathered. She kept a close eye on Serenity as she chose a seat close to her.

* * *

Jadeite sat as close as he could to Makoto, who had changed back from Sailor Jupiter after they had arrived back from wherever they had gone. The transformation had used much of her energy, evidenced by the dark circles under her eyes and the way she often yawned. He held onto her left hand, rubbing the back softly in a comforting way as Serenity and Endymion spoke. 

He had been surprised to see them as such, but the two of them had explained that now that all of the senshi had their talismans, it had released the last of the energy needed to change them into their rightful forms. Jadeite had looked around the room as they had told this and saw many expressions on the others' faces. What had really captured his attention was the hurt expression on Rei's face. She was the closest to Usagi, and he guessed that she really didn't know what to make of this stranger, basically, who had taken over. Even Makoto had had some trouble adjusting to this as well, since it was her transformation that had set off the whole thing.

Jadeite turned his attention back to Endymion, who was speaking.

"There are six places on the planet that were in need of recovery before we started the battle against Beryl," he said. "Three have already been cleaned. The first by Sailor Mercury, the second by Sailor Venus, and the third by Sailor Jupiter. The places where the Furies dwelled held much of the darkness by the one we must truly fight to save humanity."

Serenity nodded and continued. "The last three will be more dangerous, for they are within Beryl's fortress themselves." She turned to Alecto. "Please tell everybody what you know."

The Fury cleared her throat nervously at the many pairs of eyes turned her way. Most of them seemed very hostile to her, but some held expressions of curiosity. Clearing her throat again, Alecto started. "There are three defenses within the castle before one can reach the inner sanctum. The first is held by the god Faunus. Any person, whether mortal or god, that crosses his path uninvited is lulled to sleep by the power he has stolen from Morpheus and is driven insane through the nightmares he brings.

"The second defense is that of the god Quirinus. The lesser god of war, he inflicts a great battle with intruders, before brutally slaying them. The third however, is against Cybele, the goddess of nature. She pits the intruder against all of nature."

Silence greeted the last of her words. Serenity and Endymion looked over the group and watched their faces.

Turning to Alecto, Serenity thanked her.

Alecto frowned. "I did nothing to be thanked for," she retorted. "In fact, you shouldn't even be trusting me now to be among you."

Endymion shook his head. "Do not heap more trouble upon yourself. We forgive you for everything that you've done against us. It was not your doing."

Alecto still didn't completely buy the trust written on the two rulers' faces. She was more comfortable with the intense expressions of fore coming battle shown by most of the group. As they broke off into smaller groups through the rest of the night, she stayed by herself to watch for distrust.

* * *

Minako turned concerned eyes at Yaten. Ever since he had come back from the battle within Rei, he had become distant. She didn't like this at all, but wasn't sure what to do about it. On top of this was the upcoming battles they would have to fight to reach Beryl, and who knew how many they would have to join in against the one who had woken the former leader of the Dark Kingdom. Sighing, she turned back to the book held almost forgotten in her hands. 

She missed Yaten's raised head before he shook it. Even now he wasn't sure that he could trust himself. Most of the others who had been locked in the small room seemed to have gotten over what had happened. He alone still felt some of that anger, though it was self-directed. He should have been stronger. He should have tried to ignore it.

"Self-recriminations will do you no good," a soft voice from behind him said.

Yaten and Minako lifted their heads to see Seiya behind them. Yaten started to sputter before the blue-eyed man held a hand up.

"Yaten, stop playing that same old record you always do."

Minako looked at Yaten, thoughtfully. She had thought something was still wrong, but hadn't been completely sure about it. Now that Seiya said something, she knew he was still having problems. She turned to look at Yaten as she reached out to touch his hand.

"Yaten-kun," she said in a sweet voice. Both men looked at her, somewhat afraid of what she was going to say. "The past is done with. It can never be changed, so why bother? After all, what's done is done."

Blank looks greeted her words. She returned it with puzzlement. "Did I say that wrong?"

Yaten shook his head slightly while Seiya stood stock still for a moment.

"Uh," Seiya muttered. "I just remembered something I have to do."

Yaten watched him leave. It was just as well that the other man had left. He had some things to tell Minako.

* * *

Screams of laughter flowed through the house from the kitchen. Luckily, only two people were in the house at the moment or there would have been trouble. At the sink, Makoto was trying to wash the dishes, but the scene coming to her from the other side of the window kept distracting her. Next to her, Unazumi was in stitches and trying to regain some breath. 

For on the other side of the window were the Generals trying to figure out how to put together a game of Twister without looking like complete idiots. It wasn't working. On the other side of the garden were Setsuna and Kashikoi as they talked on the bench as they missed the fun. Makoto raised an eyebrow when she saw that after managing to pull her attention away from the comedy taking place on the patio. As the Generals gave up, she let her gaze wander even further.

By the pond strode Serenity and Endymion. It was strange, but it was as if they had changed, yet at the same time hadn't. She wasn't sure just how to describe it, but she instinctively knew that this was how it would be from now on. They wouldn't transform anymore, either to Usagi or Mamoru, or to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. In the back of her mind she wondered when they would stop to transform and just become the sailor senshi.

Shaking off the disturbing thought, she returned to washing the dishes. She needed them to cook the special dinner that she was planning to serve tonight. After all, it wasn't everyday that one of her friends would get married, and officially be crowned Queen.

* * *

Serenity and Endymion stood face to face with each other. It was strange to be in these bodies. Since it had, just yesterday seemed so long ago that they had just met. Now, though, their powers had matured to the point where this was where they should be, and nothing was going to change it. The only thing left for them to do was to awaken their own guardians to complete the power of their crystals. Then they would be fully aligned for as long as they both lived. 

They both turned to face Sailor Pluto, who was the only one to remember the ceremony of coronation of both the Earth and the Moon. With a little judicious juggling by her and the Generals they had been able to piece together a joint coronation, uniting the ancient kingdoms of the Earth and Moon together as one.

Thus, the birth of the Crystal Kingdom was about to be born.

* * *

Luna sighed in happiness. All of the work she and Artemis had put in, as well as all the speed bumps that had lain before them had been worth the effort. Just seeing Serenity and Endymion reunited surpassed all the pain that had come before. Still, signs of the old Usagi shone through, relieving Luna of the terrible thought that her charge had completely been consumed by what the silver crystal deemed her true persona. 

Curious bits of the former slacker made their appearance every now and then, such as when they were dining on the sumptuous feast Makoto had prepared with help from Unazumi, Motoki, and Suru. It was a good feeling she got at the sight of some mischief on her queen's face, no matter the grave battle that lay ahead of them. A wise ruler knew that there had to be some way to let off steam, although Luna hoped Endymion would stop it before it became too much.

Next to her, Artemis drooled over the different kind of foods. It had been a long time since he had seen a feast such as this. How Makoto and the others had known what had been served at that last ball was beyond him. All he cared about at the moment was how stuffed he could get. Sometimes it was nice to have opposable thumbs.

Sitting back after dinner a couple hours later, Artemis let his eyes wander around the room.


	15. Chapter 15: Gifts

The Return

Part 15: Gifts

* * *

Ami watched from the corner of her eye the three men walking across the lawn. It had been awhile since those three had the chance to talk alone, but she did miss the presence of Taiki beside her. It was comforting and confusing and exciting all at once. But, since they had joined together, the former ThreeLights had never been together. She was happy that they could do so, since it had seemed as if they were starting to pull apart--to drift from what they had been into separate parts. 

And yet... it was if they were supposed to go separate ways. Each now had different powers, coming from opposite directions. Hmm, Ami thought, I wonder if Demeter really has a daughter named Persephone. But that would mean the girl would be married to Sailor Saturn. Well, actually Pluto, but as Hotaru held his power it was a moot point. Laughing at the directions her thoughts were taking, Ami shook her head and let her gaze wander around the yard.

Serenity and Endymion were once again off by themselves. Ami supposed that they wanted the time alone to adjust to the shift in both body and power. Still, she knew that they weren't at full power just yet. Both had to wake their own guardian to the final piece of power for each of their crystals. This would take some thinking.

* * *

Night crept over the sky, the stars shining their dim light upon the Earth while they competed against the brightness of the moon. One day was left before the full moon, just one day before Beryl would lose everything that she had been working for. 

The shadow had shown up earlier in the day, forewarning the former queen of the Dark Kingdom that everything would falter if the one who sleeps in the moon was to be woken. Frowning, Beryl dismissed the thought that she had bitten off more than she could chew when she agreed to follow that dark shadow. Instead, she put her mind to a plan that would get rid of all of them so she could get back what she had almost had within her grasp - the Earth. With that goal in mind, she called to the line of defenses she had set up in case of failure by the Furies.

* * *

Serenity watched the pale globe in the sky, knowing that something would happen before night fell again. She and Endymion were surrounded by the others as they guarded the couple, but even they were not enough protection if they could not waken their guardians. Gazing at her friends and allies, she smiled at the willingness to work together each of them strove for. It had pained her to watch her court fight each other, especially when it came down to their duties. 

For eons in the Silver Millennium, four scouts had been dedicated to protect the one who held the silver crystal, while the other four guarded the solar system from enemies. It had taken them a long time to discover they could do both at the same time. There were some setbacks, specifically Haruka. The senshi of the wind had a hard time dealing with the change, and still clung to her stubborn ways when she could. It would often take just a gentle touch from Michiru for her to relent, but it was good that she offered the resistance. The group had to look at everything from different perspectives in order to do it right. That would be the best defense against the next attack Beryl would try.

The absence of sound broke her thoughts. Serenity looked around and found everybody else asleep from their long vigil, all but one. Gentle, deep blue eyes smiled at her, giving her strength for the coming storm. She gave Endymion's hand a squeeze as they both looked back up at the moon.

* * *

Shingo's neck hurt. Opening one eye, he discovered he was lying in an odd position across the chair and his legs dangled over the side. Carefully sitting up, he saw Serenity and Endymion still awake as they watched the dawn. A large part of him was amazed at the change in his sister. It would have amazed their parents to see her like this. They would be proud, too. 

He sighed. The last week had been filled with so many things that he hadn't got the chance to really mourn the loss of his parents. It had seemed just like yesterday that he had been taunting Usagi as she and their mother hurried to get things ready for the wedding. Now it was a thousand years later, and there was no real way of knowing what had happened to his mother and father.

What people they had come across had struggled for so long in the barren world. Earth had suffered greatly in the time Beryl had complete control. Shingo's chest puffed slightly as he thought about what he and the others were doing to make it right once more. It wouldn't be the same world that he had grown up in - in fact it would be much different.

Shingo lay still on the floor, eyes closed once more, as he remembered what had gone on last night. Setsuna had told them all that she had gotten some sense of her power back, but she had refused to say anything more than to expect Beryl to attack before the full moon. He had the feeling that she was afraid of what was to happen, but didn't want to voice it in case she had read it wrong. Still, he was ready to go with the hammer at his side.

A mental picture of the hammer formed in his head. The struggle to gain it had almost come at a terrible price. Trapped as they were in Rei's psyche, it had let all the anger each of them had ever felt build upon itself. For a while, Shingo had been so mad at his sister as he thought of what had gone on in the past. She had always had lots of friends, yet never had tried to accomplish much with herself. Since their parents had seen that, much of the pressure to honor the family with good grades had fallen onto his head. Now he knew that he had repressed that anger until it finally released itself within the fire of Mars. The flame had cleansed him of much of the anger that he had held onto. All that left of it remained a memory in some small corner of his mind, as a reminder of never to think that way again. Each of them were there for a purpose, and he was willing to give everything he had to keep the world going.

Movement sounded around him. Opening an eye again, he saw that the generals were now up and about. Figuring he should get up as well, he stood and walked carefully over to his sister while being careful not to step on anyone. Serenity smiled at him, making the morning a lot brighter.

* * *

Setsuna shivered in the hot sun. The more she tried to avoid the thoughts racing through her mind, the more prominent they became. She would try cursing the power that flowed through her brain, but that had never helped her before. There was a price to pay for being a senshi, one she knew all too well. True, there were some parts she would rather leave out, but she was willing to give her life for her princess if necessary. 

A small part of her brain reminded her that Serenity would rather have her senshi live than to die. That was what gave her so much power, enough to bring them back from the dead. Love has no boundaries, even in death.

She gazed at the other senshi, wondering if they were truly ready for the battles that lay ahead. Even the gods seemed not quite prepared but for a few, and they were very jumpy.

Setsuna looked over to find Kashikoi wearing an expression of intense concentration. Her eyes were closed, and her whole demeanor boded ill for any one who approached. Sisterly concern washed over her as she wondered what her little sister could be thinking about that deeply.

"Setsuna-san." Kunzite's voice made her turn her head to look up at him.

"Hai?"

"We would like to talk to you for a minute," he said, indicating the other three generals behind him, determined faces watching her.

Giving one last glance at Kashikoi, Setsuna rose from her seat.

* * *

Luna felt chills along her spine as dusk fell. The battle Setsuna had told them to expect had yet to appear. Had the senshi of time been wrong? Shaking her head, Luna berated herself. Time had a different meaning for all but Sailor Pluto. Still, there was no sign of the rising moon. 

Her blue eyes rested on Artemis, who was looking up in the sky. The white hair that fell below his shoulders was so unlike the fur that covered him in cat form. Luna still had problems believing she could become human.

_"I have been able to restore it to its glory tonight because of the energy that I have been given, this energy that I will now give to you."_

_Luna and Artemis felt themselves become human again, the crescent moons on their foreheads disappearing. They found themselves wearing new clothing - that of the togas the gods and goddesses wore in battle. Looking down, Luna saw that she had the same type of sandals they wore as well, the laces wrapping around her calf up to her knees. She saw that Artemis' laces went halfway up his calf, like the gods' sandals did._

_She looked up at Diana, who smiled sweetly._

_"I give you this energy, so that you will be able to give it back to the silver crystal when the time comes. Together, it and the golden crystal will then reawaken myself and the guardian of the golden crystal."_

She and Artemis were to give this energy back when the time came, but when would that be? Serenity had her last form, and the silver crystal was almost at the strength it had been when the Silver Millennium had been destroyed.

Luna gasped as a bright light streaked through the sky towards the house. She rose from her seat, too slow to do anything before it hit.

* * *

The light faded, revealing an empty hole where Serenity and Endymion had been standing. Shock ran through the group before the senshi transformed. 

Sailor Mars reached out on the invisible link that was drawn between her and Serenity. There was a faint feeling along it before everything was cut off. Purple eyes flashed in anger as she realized that Beryl had blocked the emotions that lay between the senshi and her queen.

Kunzite looked at the group. "Let's go."

* * *

Darkness swirled around the castle, the barren land that surrounded it charred. The burnt dirt crunched under their feet as they walked towards it. Sailor Saturn didn't like the feel of this place. It felt dead. 

Next to her walked Alecto. Dread seemed to be the Fury's companion with each step towards Beryl's stronghold. Saturn still didn't trust her or the way she made furtive glances at everybody, as if she were sizing up their faults and weaknesses.

Suddenly Sailor Pluto stood still. "Time has stopped moving," she said in a small voice.

"I can control time in your dreams," a voice said.

Sailor Saturn looked up to find a strange looking man standing in front of the group. He had the face and torso of a man, with the lower body of an animal and horns growing out of the top of his head. He made a dashing bow before them, laughing as he did so.

"The more you dream, the better it is for me to work on you." His voice became rougher, a rasp heavily accenting each word. "For I am Faunus."

Saturn looked at the others. Their eyes were glazed, and they didn't recognize the danger that lay within Faunus. She let her gaze rest on each, trying to see if she could tell anything about them without bringing herself to Faunus' notice. Saturn stopped when she saw a flash in Vulcan's eyes. Good, there was somebody that hadn't fallen like she had.

"Faunus," she said in her quiet, deadly voice.

The god looked surprised that one of his victims wasn't asleep. "So, little girl," he condescended to her. "Can't fall asleep?"

Her eyes flashed at him. "Death never sleeps."

Brown eyes widened in fear at the sentence before they narrowed thoughtfully. "But what can you do, all by yourself."

"She's not alone," Vulcan said on the other side of Faunus. The hammer was gripped tightly in his right hand as it was held close to his chest. "And we are not without weapons."

Vulcan raised the hammer and hit the ground with it, waking the others. He looked at each of them before he got to Sailor Saturn. Blue eyes twinkled at her before he turned his attention back to Faunus. "This is a battle between you and I, Faunus," he growled. He looked at the others. "Go get Serenity and Endymion before it's too late."

The group wasn't sure what to make of this, so Saturn turned to them. "Please, get going," she pleaded. "I will stay here as well."

* * *

Sailor Mars did not like this. She wasn't comfortable leaving Sailor Saturn or Vulcan behind, especially since she had the feeling she wouldn't see them again. She followed the group as they ran into the castle to face the second challenge. 

It wasn't long in coming.

A huge door blocked their way, in front of which stood a tall man, taller than any one in the group. Armor covered every inch of him as well as a shield that took up half his height.

"Quirinus," Mithra said.

"Very good," a gravelly voice intoned. "But you will not get past me." The god shifted slightly, revealing the long spear in his right hand. "This is where you will die."

Sailor Mars opened her mouth but another voice spoke first.

"Not if I can help it." Minerva stepped forward, her toga shifting to her armor.

Sailor Mars looked carefully at her before a memory awoke.

_Rei started to slowly spin, wrapped in fire. The gods and Juno came over to watch as the wreath of fire cloaked her in her senshi fuku. As her feet touched the ground, her eyes opened._

_"What?" she began to ask when she saw Usagi laying on the floor. "Princess?!"_

_Mars went forward and touched her arm. Sailor Mars whirled around in surprise, ready to yell at the offender, but stopped when she felt the aura surrounding him._

_"Sailor Mars," he began. "I come to give you your final transformation. With this, you will be able to call upon the power of fire to destroy your enemies. Keep in mind that with this destruction there is a heavy price to pay, so use it wisely."_

_The others watched in horror as they saw Mars essence dwindle, before disappearing. They stepped back as Sailor Mars glowed a bright red, and they realized what had happened. Mars had literally given this sailor senshi his power, what made him exist. When they could see her again, Sailor Mars' fuku had changed. Her skirt was now white with red and purple ribbons twisting along the hem, and she now wore white knee boots with red trim at the top. Her tiara was replaced with the symbol of Mars, and she had soft wings on her back, not unlike Eternal Sailor Moon's._

This was what Mars had been talking about. Before her lay the battle in which she would need to use her fire. She stepped forward as well. "I am here to battle you as well."

* * *

Ceres tried not to think about what was going to happen to Minerva. Instead, she ran as hard as she could towards the third challenge before she could. With Quirinus distracted, they had been able to open the doors while they avoided being singed by fire or arrows. 

The group descended deeper into the castle, all natural light soon fading. The hallways echoed eerily as their feet pounded the stone floor. Ceres slowed with the others when they saw a door ahead. This one was very small, and each of them would have to crawl through it. Sailor Uranus reached down to open it when a hand stopped her.

"You cannot pass this door," a soft voice whispered. "It had been forbidden."

"Who has done so?" Ceres found herself asking. "And why have you granted that order be kept?"

"The one who is darkness herself has given me the power to keep all from entering," the voice said again. The one who spoke hid among the shadows thrown by the small lights further back down the hallway.

"You are Cybele, aren't you?" asked Demeter.

A woman walked into the feeble light, nodding. "I am she."

"Then you are the one we will fight," Vesta spoke.

* * *

Sailor Saturn was growing weary. Somehow Faunus had been able to draw his energy from the others while they were sleeping, gaining the strength of many. Tired purple eyes watched as he battled against Vulcan, who was getting weaker with each hit of his hammer. 

She tried to think of something she could do to help. Reaching within herself, she called upon Pluto and his strength.

'I will help you, my child, but it will come at a terrible price.'

Sailor Saturn knew what he was asking. 'Serenity and Endymion must live.'

'Very well.' Sadness flowed through her, entwined with great power.

The fight in front of her halted when a dark pulse flowed through the air. Vulcan could only watch, dazed, as Sailor Saturn transformed once more. Her form was enveloped by a dark cloud, shrouding her from sight for a split second before disappearing. Horror raced through him as he realized what she had done.

"Hotaru!"

Eternal Sailor Saturn stood with her glaive raised high. Her uniform was entirely white as black wings spread behind her. The sign of Saturn shone brightly once before it pulsed.

"Death Spiral Sword!"

* * *

Sailor Mars hung back as Minerva again shot forward, darting her spear into an open section of Quirinus' armor. It was a small victory in a battle that had weakened them both. Both she and Minerva had been cut by the god's spear, making it harder to move as blood was lost. 

Quirinus turned back to her after catching Minerva's spear and breaking it in half, tossing her in the process. "I will kill you and then your friends," his deep voice boomed.

"No."

Both of them looked to Minerva. "No. You will not kill us. You will not kill her." She pointed at Sailor Mars. "You are the one who will not survive."

Quirinus laughed. "Do you really think you have enough power to kill me? Maybe if both of you combined power you might have a chance to hurt me."

Sailor Mars stared at Minerva, who headed straight to her. Her eyes widened as she realized what the goddess meant to do. "Don't do this! We can defeat him another way!"

The goddess of wisdom and war shook her head. "You alone can beat him. There is no other way." A lone tear escaped but was ignored. "This must be done."

A bright light flashed throughout the large room, shining down dark corridors for a brief instant before it vanished.

* * *

Ceres was tired. Cybele had been given a lot more power than she had originally had and her and the others were being beaten. Nothing had prepared her for this fight, not even her years as training as a senshi were mixed with the memories of Olympus. The only thing she could think of was why had this happened? 

She looked around and saw Demeter on the floor, struggling to get up. Ceres was in bad shape as well, her legs barely had strength to keep her standing. Vesta had avoided most of the blows Cybele had thrown at her, but she was weak. Still, there must be something they could do to stop the goddess in front of them.

She watched in horror as Vesta was thrown against the wall, crumbling upon the cold floor in a shapeless lump. Something inside her snapped and she found the energy to face Cybele, blue eyes burning with determination.

"I will stop you, Cybele," she uttered.

Cybele laughed. "Who and who's army?"

"Us." Two voices spoke as one.

Cybele's laugh was cut off sharply by a burst of energy.


	16. Chapter 16: Beryl's Shadow & Epilogue

AN: Thanks to those that reviewed. If you've read this and haven't reviewed, why haven't you? Every author likes to know how they're doing.

The Return

Part 16: Beryl's Shadow

* * *

Vulcan saw the attack coming, but he knew he didn't have the strength to move. He also knew that this was the moment he had known was coming for a while and he didn't dread it. He had been almost out of energy, anyway. 

Raising his hammer one last time, he swung it at Faunus to catch him off guard.

Black ribbons sliced through the air as he did so and he fell into darkness.

Eternal Sailor Saturn stood for a moment and looked at the two lifeless bodies that lay on the floor. All of her energy had been given in that single attack, and there was nothing left for Tomoe Hotaru to live on.

'My child.' Pluto mourned his loss.

* * *

Sailor Mars held back tears even as the power flowed through her. Armor began to cover her as her wings spread open to twice their size. A flaming bow appeared in her hand as she raised it. 

Quirinus found himself staring at Eternal Sailor Mars as flame began to surround him. Bracing himself, he gathered his energy for this last battle. Concentrating, he aimed at the bow flaring to life with an arrow cocked directly at him.

Eternal Sailor Mars reached for the attack she knew would stop Quirinus. She knew that Minerva had given her the energy she would need to continue after this fight in order to fight against Beryl. She would not let this energy go to waste. Her bow in position, she pulled back the invisible string.

"Ultimate Flame Sniper!"

Flames engulfed the room, leaving only one person standing. The armor of Minerva protected Eternal Sailor Mars from being consumed by her own power. As the fire burned down, she searched for signs of the other battles that had taken place.

Sadness flowed through her when she couldn't find the energy wave emitted by either Sailor Saturn or Vulcan. 'Hotaru. Shingo.' Tears threatened to fall as she strode through the doors. She kept her hopes up in finding the others soon. What she found made her heart break.

The former ThreeLights had given their energy as well to defeat the goddess Cybele. Water dripped from her eyes unheeded as she tried to make sense of all this. She couldn't find anything that connected in the tragedy that lay before her.

"Find the others."

The whisper sounded all around her, but she couldn't tell where the source was or who said it.

"Who said that?"

"Find the others."

Knowing that she wouldn't be answered if she asked her question again, Eternal Sailor Mars headed on to find the others.

* * *

Beryl sat on her throne, seemingly calm yet inwardly seething. Before her, the rest of the senshi and the guardians were foolishly battling shadows, but she also knew that the three sent to protect her had been defeated. 

She knew that the full moon approached in minutes, in which time she could still lose the fight. No, that wasn't going to happen. She would finally defeat her enemies and reign as the supreme ruler of the Earth.

* * *

Kunzite sensed something was wrong. The senshi were fighting with only half their attention on the battle. Whatever had happened elsewhere in the castle was affecting them. He pulled his sword from the shadow he just sliced through and turned to the others, opening his mouth when he closed it again. 

Instead, he raced over to protect Luna and Artemis. The two former cats were almost defenseless against the shadow warriors. Seeing him do so, the other three generals joined him.

Suhai looked at Janus before searching out the other immortals. They were using energy that should be put to better uses. In an instant there were all in tune, agreeing on what they should do next. Out of the corner of his eye, the god of love saw Eternal Sailor Mars standing in the doorway, glaring at the dark queen on her throne. With her appearance, the shadow warriors moved in her direction, giving him the time he needed.

Kunzite felt something hit him and he turned to see what it was. As he did so, he felt power pulse through him. He looked over at Zoisite and found him engulfed in a white light. In turn he looked at Nephrite and Jadeite and found the same.

Eternal Sailor Mars knew in a flash what had happened. There would be time to mourn later as the shadow warriors rushed towards her, drawn by the immense amounts of energy pouring off of her. The other senshi broke out of their trances at both events. They could not take the time to be slow when they had to find Serenity and Endymion. There were only a few minutes left and they couldn't waste them.

"Luna, Artemis!" Zoisite shouted. "You have to change, now!" The general didn't know where that came from, but he knew it had to happen. Some force within him was giving him the power he needed to fight. Whatever it was, he was thankful for it.

Power began to grow within the small circle the generals made, unleashing itself towards some invisible spot within the room. Luna and Artemis focused on sending the energy to Serenity, to help awaken her guardian. The two released the energy, crumbling back to their original forms, not moving.

"Beryl."

The soft voice halted everyone in their tracks.

Up on her throne, Beryl paled. How had that energy reached Serenity? The barrier she had put up was her strongest! It had been originally used to help contain Metallia against outside forces until she was strong enough to regain her full power. A bright light flooded the throne room. The shadow warriors were unable to withstand such a powerful light, and dissipated into nothing.

Serenity and Endymion stood regally calm, ready to begin the final showdown with Beryl.

The former Queen of the Dark Kingdom quaked. Where had they gotten this energy? It certainly hadn't all come from those cats.

"Beryl." Serenity's voice carried along the light towards her. The waves hit Beryl back into her throne as she stood up, smashing the globe in front of her.

The silver crystal began to pulse, the beats speeding up until it burst in a huge flash of light. The sailor senshi and generals were left alone in the throne room.

* * *

Beryl's energy was just about gone, but she had enough to raise her head. What was this place? 

"You failed me, Beryl."

That cold voice that had lifted her from the darkness she had dwelt in sent shivers through her.

"No, I can defeat them!" Beryl tried to stand, but her legs gave out on her. "I will defeat them." She slammed her fist into the ground in frustration.

"I cannot trust you to do what I gave to you."

Darkness enveloped Beryl again. "NOOOOOO!"

* * *

Serenity's eyes opened, the soft light making everything around her glow. She looked around and found Luna and Artemis laying to her right, Endymion in front of her as she sat up. 

"Welcome, Serenity."

The new queen lifted her head to see a tall woman kneeling next to her on her left. A pack of dogs were quiet behind the woman. "You are...Diana?"

The woman nodded. "Thank you for waking me." Diana smiled and held out her hand to help Serenity off the ground.

Serenity took her hand and almost fell back onto the ground. "This... The Moon Palace? But how?"

"The crystal did this when Luna and Artemis awoke me, but they were not strong enough to give me the chance to add my power," Diana said. She smiled again as they and Endymion woke at last. "Still, I was able to give you energy when you would need it most to finally set me free."

Endymion rose to stand next to Serenity. "Will you be able to help us in the fight?"

Diana nodded. "Yes, but we will have to waken Apollo. He is the one who guards the Golden Crystal."

"What about the others?" Luna asked.

"They will be safe for the time being. The one who is darkness herself is more concerned with gaining your crystals. They hold the power she needs to overtake Olympus."

"Who is she, though?" Artemis still had no idea who they were battling.

"Hecate..." The voice was very faint. The five of them looked over to find those already taken, who had given their lives to continue the battle, as well as the god Pluto. "This will test the strength of those two crystals. You must be prepared to face your greatest fears. That is what Hecate feeds on to make her more powerful." Pluto bowed his head before he looked at those who had fallen and turned to Serenity and Endymion. "Please, defeat her before I must lead them to Hades."

"We are behind you, Serenity-sama," Sailor Saturn said.

"Go for it!" Minerva encouraged.

"You have the strength within you, sister," Vulcan reminded her.

"Protect Serenity well," Ceres said to Endymion.

Vesta smiled at them. "You have the power to defeat her."

"Rely on your friendships," Demeter finally said.

Juno stood on tiptoe, "I know you can do it!"

Janus nodded. "Do well."

Mithra smiled. "Remember that we will help if need be."

"Sometimes Death is not a boundary for love," Suhai said.

They began to fade as Serenity reached a hand out to them. Once they were no longer in sight she turned to Diana. "Please help us find Apollo."

Diana nodded. "Follow me." She turned to the dogs. "Mithras!"

The largest dog came to sit next to her.

"We must find Apollo." The dog bounded off, the five trailing behind him with the rest of the pack of dogs.

* * *

Eternal Sailor Mars found herself surrounded by the rest of the senshi. 

"What happened? Where's Sailor Saturn? Where are the others?"

The questions stopped when they saw the look on her face. Eternal Sailor Mars shifted uncomfortably in her protective armor. She wasn't quite sure where to begin. She knew that Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury would be devastated if she told them the truth, but she also knew she couldn't keep it from them. They would need to deal with this later when there was a time to mourn.

"They are gone," she finally said. Once more tears tracked down her cheeks. "They fought with all they could." She collapsed, the armor clinking against the floor. "She gave up her life to help me. They gave their lives to help us. WHY?????"

The senshi and generals shifted at the sight of the fiercest of them breaking down into tears. They weren't sure who was more surprised when Sailor Pluto slapped her, they or Eternal Sailor Mars.

"Rei-san!" Sailor Pluto's voice broke them from their trance. "Serenity-sama and Endymion-sama need your strength and compassion. Not your tears! There will be a time for this, but it isn't now. Do you not think we don't feel the same way?"

Something jolted down deep inside of Eternal Sailor Mars. Sailor Pluto had lost a sister and a lover, Sailor Venus had lost her lover as well. Sailor Mercury had as well. She herself had lost a lover. And they had all lost a comrade in Sailor Saturn. Eternal Sailor Saturn. How did she know that? It hit her that the voice that had spoken to her was Eternal Sailor Saturn. Maybe they weren't quite dead.

She lifted her head. "What is the name of the river the dead must cross to get to Hades?"

"The River Styx," Nephrite said. "Charon is the one who guides the boat across the river when he is paid his coin."

"Then we can still save them!" Eternal Sailor Mars jumped up. "If we can defeat the one Saturn talked about, we can save them before they cross into Hades."

Sailor Uranus nodded her head. "Then we will." She put her hand out and the other senshi did as well. Finally, the four generals laid their hands on top of the pile.

Energy poured from them, transforming them once more. Each of the senshi became their Eternal form, the generals changing into what they were before Beryl had made them into her warriors. The changes were subtle as far as appearance, but their power was much greater than it had been. It was the power that they had been given by the gods.

Sailor Mars closed her eyes for a moment. 'Thank you, Minerva, for protecting me. We will save you and the others.' A giggle sounded in her ears. _Thank you, Rei-san._

Her eyes shot open. Now she knew the path was still open enough for them to rescue the others. Determination began to flow through her as she thought about what they must still face. 'Serenity. Endymion. We are ready to fight with you.'

* * *

Endymion looked at the flowers that surrounded them. "This is the place?" 

Diana nodded. "You should know this place well, Endymion. This is the palace that ruled the Earth during the Silver Millennium. This is part of the land of dreams."

Serenity gave him a small smile at his astonishment. The palace had been destroyed when Beryl and her army had attacked, demolishing building and courtyard alike. How had it been restored to its glory without his knowing? Endymion shook his head. "How is this possible?"

"As you are connected with Serenity, so is this connected with the moon," a male voice said behind them.

They all turned to see a tall man, his golden hair gleaming like the sun, smiling at them. He gave a slight bow to Diana before turning back to Endymion. "Ah, my champion arrives."

Luna stared for a moment. For some reason she thought she had seen this man before. But it was before the Silver Millennium fell so long ago. 'Where...?'

Apollo noticed Luna's gaze. "Luna." He turned to Artemis. "Artemis. You who have guided the protector of the moon, I and Diana thank you." He turned back to Luna. "I have been watching you since you left Mau to help Queen Serenity three millennia ago, when Diana and I could no longer help. I was your escort then, as I will be now."

Luna's face lit up. Yes, he had been their guide from their home planet when they had been chosen to help the new ruler of the Silver Millennium. He had been the one to protect them when their ship had been attacked by the shadows that had lain in wait between the plants of this solar system, left over from the battle that had created the Silver Millennium three thousand years ago. But there was still something she wasn't quite sure about. Something else had happened on that trip, but she couldn't remember what it was. For now, she would mull it over as they prepared to face Hecate.

Serenity looked at Diana. "Now that you are awake, how are you to help us?"

"We will become one with your crystals," Diana said. "That is our destiny, what the Fates have decreed."

"But," Artemis interjected, "What will happen to you?"

Apollo stepped forward. "This is what we have been woken for. When our use is over, the Fates will cut our string. Once the Silver Millennium is restored, there will no longer be a need for us as we are now."

"No, please," Serenity said. "You will be needed."

Diana shook her head. "We will be reborn, but the sun and the moon have their protection in the crystals you carry. Once you call upon their ultimate power, we will cease to exist. Our power will have been given to the crystals."

Endymion looked thoughtful. "What happens when we are gone? Will the solar system return to the chaos it was before the Silver Millennium ruled?"

"No," Apollo said. "As long as the two crystals survive, this solar system will be safe from Chaos. It is only if people let him rule them that he grows with power." He looked at Serenity. "Because you were able to let every person have a little of him within them, there is little chance that he will get strong again."

He turned to Diana, who nodded. "We cannot wait any longer. I feel Hecate is growing impatient. We must finish this before she attacks."

* * *

The throne room slowly began to melt away, startling the senshi and generals. 

"What's happening?" Sailor Venus asked.

Sailor Mercury pulled out her visor. "The castle is slowly warping to become...Olympus?"

"That's impossible!" Kunzite said. "How can this be?"

"It is only made to look like Olympus," Serenity's voice carried across the ever-growing darkness. She and Endymion stood behind them, the two cats at their feet.

"Serenity-sama!" The senshi began to take a step forward to her and Endymion when a gulf appeared between them and the two. "Nani?" Sailor Mars shouted.

"You will stay out of this, sailor senshi," a chilling voice said out of nowhere. "I must deal with these two first. Then you will be next."

"Hecate." Serenity's voice sent chills down their spines at the name. Now Sailor Mars knew why Saturn had refused to name her. Hecate was the goddess of darkness and controlled your fears. Sailor Mars also knew that each of them had fears big enough to stop them in their tracks if they were confronted with them. She just hoped that Serenity and Endymion had been able to awake their own guardians to help with this battle.

A chill swept over the ground, swirling quickly into a shadowy figure. There was no definition to the shape, no matter who you looked at it. The shape constantly changed as well, never staying in one configuration more than a second. It would be hard to fight an enemy such as this.

Sailor Mars looked over at Serenity and Endymion again. They showed no sign of fearing this powerful goddess. The darkness covered everything at one point or another. They should know this. Diana or Apollo would have told them, wouldn't they? What if they hadn't met up with their guardians?

_It's beginning. Don't let her use your fears._

Sailor Mars shook her head. Hecate had begun and she hadn't even noticed her doing so.

_The darkness does that. You don't realize it is there until it's almost too late. Be strong. Your queen and king have met their guardians. They will guide all of you to defeat Hecate._

This time she nodded her head. Sailor Mars looked directly at Hecate, not letting anything she might see within those shadows to bring her down.

"You have powerful warriors," Hecate said to Serenity and Endymion. "I think after I defeat you I will use them myself."

"You will not get past us," Endymion replied. "Your march stops here."

Dark laughter filled the air, threatening to oppress everybody it touched. "You really think so, do you? You are weaker than I thought."

The shadow grew larger as it swallowed the darkness that lay under every object in the area.

"Very well, let's see you battle your own fears," Hecate said. Shadows raced towards Serenity and Endymion, engulfing them.

"Serenity-sama!"

"Endymion-sama!"

* * *

Serenity opened her eyes and only found darkness. She must be inside of Hecate. 

_This is the best place to defeat her. Darkness and light must be mixed together in order for the world to become right again._

She listened to Diana's advice, knowing that it was true. In order for the light to shine, there must be some darkness for it to go up against. This was what she had learned in all her previous fights, and now she would have to prove it once again.

"Why do you not face me, Hecate?" she said.

"Very well." A shape appeared, the lines wavering. "What?" The darkness shivered for a moment. "What is it you fear most? Why can't I change into it?"

_She is confused,_ Diana said. _This is the chance that we have been given. I will release my power to you._

Serenity felt power flow over and through her as she closed her eyes. It was soft and gentle, much like her mother's touch had been so long ago on the moon. Her eyes shot open as she realized her mother had been Diana's human form.

"Mother..."

"NO!" The shape twisted against the light that shone from the silver crystal in Serenity's right hand. "I will defeat the light!"

"That is not possible." Endymion had joined Serenity and the shadow. The golden crystal was pulsing in his left hand, and in time with the silver crystal. "The darkness and light need each other in order to live."

"How is this possible?" The shadow grew smaller, the darkness growing dim. "You cannot beat me!"

Serenity shook her head. "No we cannot defeat you, in the same way you cannot defeat us. Light and shadow are the ultimate pair of opposites, but they are also alike. Shadow cannot live without the light to cast it, and the light cannot live without a shadow to battle against."

The shadow shifted, becoming the image of a young girl. Black hair fell from her crown to the floor in soft waves over light gray eyes. Her face was twisted for a moment before it calmed down. "Is this true?"

Endymion and Serenity nodded. "Yes," Endymion said. "They are the true Yin and Yang, the twins that hate and love each other."

"Why didn't you destroy me?" the little girl asked.

Serenity knelt down next to her. "If we were to destroy the darkness, the light would have no reason to shine." She smiled at the girl before standing. "Let us return to the way things should be."

"But," the girl Hecate was said, "I don't want to live in the shadows anymore."

"You don't need to live in the shadows, Hecate," Serenity said. "Just make sure that they exist."

Endymion and Serenity stood calmly as she thought.

"Very well," the girl finally said. "I think that I can do that."

* * *

The darkness began to dissipate, but didn't entirely disappear. As the senshi and generals watched, Serenity and Endymion were once again standing before the shadow. This time, however, the shadow was much smaller than they had ever seen it. It bowed slightly to the two in front of it before it turned to the senshi and generals. 

"I will see to it that your friends are returned to you," came a young girl's voice. "I apologize for all that I have put you through." She vanished a second later.

"Serenity?" Sailor Mars ran up to her. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes it is, Rei-chan," Serenity smiled at her. "Everything is as it should be."

Sailor Uranus spoke up. "She's getting away!"

"Hecate is very important," Endymion said. "Without her, we cannot shed the light of the crystals onto others. Their light would be unimportant in the universe."

"Will she return those we have lost?" Sailor Mercury finally asked.

Serenity nodded. "Yes, I believe she will."

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

The dawn sun shone its rays onto the crystal palace, pinks and pale lavenders stretching their arms over the structure. The palace stood tall among the other building in Crystal Tokyo, a beacon for all of the city's inhabitants. Once it had become known that the Queen and King had begun building, people far and wide had made the journey here. There were the remains of the old cultures starting to mix with the new one of the Crystal Millennium. 

Inside the palace, the inhabitants were beginning their own new day. The Queen and King were enjoying breakfast with their court, serenely gazing upon their friends. There was a kind of sadness underneath the happy chatter, though, one that kept those who lived in the palace from truly being content.

Several of their comrades had not come back, despite everything that had happened in their battle against Hecate, Beryl, and the Furies. Many of the Sailor Scouts had assumed that their friends would come back immediately, considering that they had Hecate herself to bring them back. Now, though, almost a year had passed with no sign of those taken in battle.

Among all of them, it was Sailor Mars who was having the hardest time with the situation. Being of a volatile nature, she was often moody and took her self-anger and -pity out on anyone within reach. On the other hand, there was Sailor Mercury, who had accepted that the one she hoped for to return may never come home. It didn't stop her from hoping, though.

Queen Serenity had often wondered when her friends would arrive, but something told her that it had not been time yet. And with them would be four she had not seen for years. A hand lightly touched hers and she turned, smiling, to Endymion. His blue eyes told her of his concern over the situation.

* * *

After lunch, the Queen and King rested in their chambers, leaving the Sailor Scouts to their own devices. As what happened almost everyday, Mars wandered down one of the unfinished corridors, pretending to take notes for what had to be done. In reality, she would often find a secluded spot and try to meditate, to give herself some solace. Most of the time, it failed to work because of her memory of the last time she meditated - trapped within her owl soul by Alecto, trying to find Suhai. 

That's what it came down to, really, was that she missed him terribly. Rei found that she couldn't live fully while she was missing him, and she couldn't make herself give up hoping that he would come back. Still, it had been an awfully long year, and each day her hope dwindled. Knowing that it was time for her to head back, she turned and walked through the corridor, her hand brushing against the wall. A sound came from behind her and she whirled to see what made it, having been alone the entire time, she thought, that she had been down the hall.

Her eyes widened at the light that flooded into the hallway from the far wall, which was on the outside of the building. Readying herself for an attack, she held steady as the light expanded to fill the hallway up to and surrounding her. It was intense, so much that she had to close her eyes.

When she opened them, all she thought was that she must be dreaming as she fell to the floor and into darkness.

* * *

The court gathered for the afternoon session of open visitation. Serenity had insisted on having this time, in spite of objections from Sailors Mars and Uranus. She welcomed the opportunity to speak with the people of Crystal Tokyo, knowing that it gave them the stability they were starting to believe they could have. It amazed her just how well these people had survived while she and the others had fought against the darkness, and she felt all the better for it. 

Endymion leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Is it today?"

She smiled sweetly and nodded. He nodded in return and sat back into his throne, looking almost like her father relaxing in front of the television for his favorite game show. Serenity smiled at the thought and wondered when she would meet up with her father, somehow knowing that she would but not when. She also leaned back into her throne, silently thankful that it was so comfortable. She may not look like Usagi, but there would always be a part of her that would be the clutzy girl who wadded up a failing test and hit a boy in the head with it.

"Serenity-sama," Pluto greeted as she entered the large room. There was an odd look on her face, one that Serenity hadn't seen in a long time.

"They are here, then?" she asked quietly enough that only she, her husband, and Pluto could hear.

As she received a nod for her answer, she could feel her body relax the tension that it had been holding for so long. She _had_ known that today was the day, but she felt all the better for it now that they were safely here. She also knew that some of the others would not be able to handle what was about to happen as well.

"Serenity! Serenity!" Mars' frantic voice preceded her as she raced into the throne room. Serenity saw that she was running as fast as she possible could in her hurry. The senshi of fire came to a breathless stop in front of the thrones. "They're here!"

She gave her friend a serene smile. "I know," she gently said. "Please, gather the rest of the senshi, Rei-chan."

Mars eyed her at the strange instruction but complied.

The red-suited sailor soldier had just left the room through a side door when a small crowd entered from the doors she had originally used. There were some welcome faces there, and it warmed Serenity's heart to see them hearty and hale.

"Serenity!" one of the voices called, as a black-haired girl broke from the group and ran up to her. She was followed by a familiar sandy-haired boy, who had Serenity stepping down the two steps to the floor to embrace them.

"Hotaru. Shingo."

Her heart felt warmer than it had this morning, when she had woken knowing that they would be coming home. "I am happy that you are here." She looked down at their smiling faces, as it registered to her that their bodies were somewhere still in adolescence, instead of the adults she had become used to thinking of. Although, it didn't matter to her what they looked like, but that they were here. "I've missed you."

"We've missed you," came Endymion's voice from slightly behind her. There was a warm, large palm on the lower part of her back, giving her comfort and strength. She smiled back at him and then turned to the others, still holding onto her brother and her friend. As she looked over the group, the sailor senshi came through the door, running as wildly as Mars had moments earlier. Those senshi who had lost their loved ones frantically looked for them, separating them from the others for long embraces.

Serenity let go of Hotaru and Shingo in exchange for her own embrace with Endymion. It would take some time for the others to realize that there were some of their group that would be forever missing.

* * *

Dinner had been just served when Ami asked the question that Serenity had been waiting for. 

"What about the others? Where are Ceres, Minerva, Juno, and Janus?" She looked at Taiki as he sat beside her. He gave a small shake of the head and looked at Serenity.

"They will not be coming here," she answered in a soft voice. There were several gasps of astonishment, as well as a few growls of anger at the statement.

She looked at each of her senshi. "They are once more part of the cycle of life, and we will see them again, though not for many years."

"But, there were four others with us," Yaten said from where he was seated next to Minako.

With a nod, Serenity looked over towards the door, where there were four small girls that the other vaguely recognized.

"Ceres, Janus, Juno, and Minerva did not come back in order for the newest sailor senshi to arrive," she said, motioning them into the room. Each girl was four or five, with the youngest holding hands with the oldest. As they stopped by Serenity, she picked up the youngest and sat the child in her lap. She waited for the excited talking to wane, taking the time to quietly ask the little girls if their room was comfortable.

"Thank you, Serenity-sama," the oldest said in her own quiet voice, although it sounded loud as the others ceased their conversations. She startled at the sound of her voice as it echoed slightly.

Serenity smiled at her and turned to her senshi. "These four are Sailor Palla, Sailor Ceres, Sailor Vesta, and Sailor Juno. They are the senshi protected by Janus and the others."

This time, the table erupted into loud noise, with several of the senshi now recognizing the little girls from the battle with Nepherenia. Serenity looked over at Endymion with a sly smile on her face, which turned into a loving one as she took in his face. He leaned in and whispered into her ear. Serenity could feel her cheeks heat, but couldn't help laughing as her husband pulled away. She turned back to the table to find her senshi watching as she laughed. The sly smirk crossed her lips for the briefest of moments, so quick that most of those at the table didn't catch it. One did, but she already knew what was about to happen because of the timeline.

"They are here to protect the Heir of Crystal Tokyo, who will be born in seven months." Serenity looked at Endymion as they both said, in a quiet and loving tone of voice, _"Chibiusa."_

Fin.


End file.
